Learn More About the Issues

What do Children, Families and Communities Get From their Libraries?

• Local, statewide and national access to a collection of library resources from best sellers and "how-to-do-it" books to music, books on tape, videos, reference support, and more that is as close as your local library or a click away on a home or office computer having Internet access.
• Resources for business, investors, persons seeking employment, teachers, students, those with a hobby, or anyone seeking information, entertainment or enrichment.
• Internet access to newspapers, periodicals, job listings, and a way for families to plan trips or communicate with someone who is away from home.
• Many programs for children, including LARL's Summer Library/Reading Program that involves more than 4,000 children and families each summer. This program is a significant contributor to fostering literacy and maintaining reading levels of children during the summer months.
• More than $40,000 of "Discover Your Library" kits for families, daycare providers, teachers, and home school students to expand learning opportunities.
• A strong resource in many communities that is relied upon by schools, teachers and students for assignments, research and science projects.
• Community gathering places for genealogy research, book clubs, and Friends groups committed to keeping their library a vibrant and valuable part of their community and their community's quality of life.

Areas of Financial Stress

• Loss of Federal Interlibrary Loan/Delivery funding support has increased LARL annual operating costs by $43,000.
• State general support is no longer increasing at a level that keeps up with even minimally rising operating costs.
• From 1998-2003, Health Insurance costs have increased from $84,475 to $144,394. This is a 71% increase even though LARL joined a regional cooperative and had the terms of its policy changed to avoid even larger cost increases.

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Updated 02/06/03