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County considers cuts for Greensboro library

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Comments (24)

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

(Updated 12:06 pm)

By Joe Killian
Staff Writer

GREENSBORO — When the Guilford County commissioners get together for their Jan. 7 retreat, they will take their first hard look at 2010.

Chairman Melvin “Skip” Alston already has declared it a year of belt-tightening, as the county tries to do more with less.

One place where that idea rings the loudest: the hushed halls of the Greensboro Public Library.

“We’re a public library designated as a county system,” said Sandy Neerman, director of the Greensboro Public Library. “No one who lives anywhere in Guilford County is charged anything to use the libraries.”

To provide that free, wide-ranging service, the library depends on money from the state, the city of Greensboro and Guilford County. But last year, the county cut its appropriation to the library by $350,000 — a cut so deep that the city of Greensboro had to make up the difference.

With the economy recovering slowly and the county deeply in debt, another such cut could be coming.

“My opinion is the city should be paying for the entire thing,” said Steve Arnold, vice chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners. “I think it’s a city function, and we should just let them do it.”

Arnold said he knows there aren’t enough votes on the board to eliminate library funding altogether, but he would like to see a radical decrease in funding.

Last year, the county gave the library $1.77 million. That’s more than the state’s contribution of $297,303 but far less than Greensboro’s $5.9 million. And that’s less than the library thinks is equitable.

“We asked them to fund us based on the percentage of usage,” Neerman said. “Our last study from 2008 showed a little more than 23 percent of our books and materials travel outside of Greensboro, but stay within the county.”

Neerman said the library can’t get state funding if it starts charging a fee to patrons outside the city. Therefore, the library has asked Guilford County to pick up at least 23 percent, or $1.8 million based on last year’s $8 million budget.

But that didn’t happen last year and isn’t likely this year.

“I don’t care where the people come from who use the libraries,” said Commissioner Billy Yow. “The libraries belong to everyone who live in the county, and we shouldn’t get into who uses how much of what. If we’re going to do that, let’s get into who uses the health services more, who uses animal control — that’s more of the people who live in Greensboro, but they don’t want to talk about that.”

Yow said the library provides a great service — especially to those who use the branches for Internet access or to help with job searches. But the library doesn’t automatically deserve a certain amount of money from the county, he said.

“Let them show me where the money’s being used and that they’re doing a good job trying to raise money themselves, without just asking for it to be handed to them,” Yow said. “I think they’ve been given money so liberally over the years that they think it’s just owed to them. Well, that’s not how it works.”

Commissioner Linda Shaw said she’s been a library advocate for years and always hates to cut funding. This year, though, she said it might be necessary.

“There are a lot of our citizens — especially children — who depend on the libraries,” Shaw said. “But if we have to choose between funding for that and funding for the health department, I would have to choose to cut the library funding. We’re finding out we just can’t afford to do some of the things we would have two or three years ago.”

If county funding for the library continues to decrease, Neerman said, it will affect the service that people can expect — from available materials to library hours.

And it likely will cost library workers their jobs. When the city cut 3 percent from its allocation last year, seven full-time positions were eliminated.

“We’re primarily a service organization,” Neerman said. “So it’s a question of what kind of service we’ll be able to provide.

“We have seven locations and each of them is open at least 70 hours a week,” Neerman said. “Compared with other library systems, we meet and exceed our benchmarks. For every dollar the taxpayer spends, they get $5.64 cents of value. So, we’re already doing more with less.”

Contact Joe Killian at 373-7023 or joe.killian@news-record.com

Accompanying Photos

Photo Caption: The Central Library in downtown Greensboro.

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jls

December 30, 2009 - 5:11 am EST

I think it would be a nice gesture for those on the board to maybe contribute part of their compensation and donate it to keep the library doors open considering how many of them feel so guilty even to consider such a act. The public library is a corner stone from every little town to large city throughout this country. A place where a young mind can go explore and learn along with older citizens. Not every household has a computer where one can research the world outside our local zip code. By the way.... how many people on the board have a library card ? Just a thought. jls

rightwingnemesis

December 30, 2009 - 9:08 am EST

Good point. This seems to be the next step by some to discredit education, ridicule intellectualism, and dumb it all down to the "good ol' white boys" club level. Or it could be that the city has no business building and operating things for the benefit of those who move out to the county to avoid paying city taxes. (But continue to enjoy using the fruits of city dwellers' constructs)

marquisdepercin

December 30, 2009 - 6:43 am EST

If 23-28% of the usage comes from those within the County but outside of Greensboro than it is only fair and just for the County to pay their fair share. Is it that some of the commissioners live outside the City and have the attitude "well just let Greensboro pay for it so I don't have to"?

northoftheboro

December 30, 2009 - 6:57 am EST

Still, there are so many among us who refuse to accept the fact that illegal immigration impacts Guilford County in so many negative ways, not just concerning crime and gang activity. As long as we ignore that issue, the longer city, county, and state budgets will run huge deficits with cuts in services resulting.

rightwingnemesis

December 30, 2009 - 9:05 am EST

Please tell me you are not using illegal immigration to justify cutting the libarary's funding...Please tell me you are not doing that. If you are doing that, then PLEASE tell us how many illegals there are in Guilford County now vs. when the economy was running on "high". Tell us how they've taken jobs away from you. Please just connect the dots because you sure have made a big statement that needs some back up.

clay

December 30, 2009 - 10:18 am EST

rightwingnemesis, you are totally correct. It is not the illegals fault. The library wastes too much money in their administrative department. In fact, the administration has the most employees of any department within the library system. Why not remove some of these positions or transfer these people to the public service desk when positions become vacant. That would save a lot of money and show that the library is willing to make sacrifices themselves.

record2009

December 30, 2009 - 7:57 am EST

Make it a City of Greensboro library only. Serve only the citizens who pay their tax for this service. In turn reject the paltry $297,000.00 from the state. The county can form its on library system to serve the citizens of the county. They can do this by setting up libraries at a local county school. It should be a free standing building so as not to interfere with school operations and administration. This library would serve the school and the community. The county can then use an inter-library loan program to get books which are not readily available in the county system.
By serving just the citizens of the city, I am sure that the library system would not need the 23% contribution from the county to be a viable institution. If a county citizen wants to use the "city" library, then they can pay a fee (for example, not to exceed $35.00 per family member) for a library card.

Joe Killian

December 30, 2009 - 10:09 am EST

There are a couple of problems with what you propose. First, the libraries would lose all state funding for at least one year should they charge anyone in the county a fee to use the libraries. That's not just the nearly $300,000 in actual money they get (which is nothing to sneeze at, even if it's the least of the allocations they receive) but also access to online databases and services like NC Live, connections to other state libraries and their services, etc -- which would cost them far more both in replacing those subscriptions and services and also the level of service they provide.

But what's more no one at the library level really WANTS to exclude people who live in the county but not the city and none of the commissioners to whom I spoke think starting a county library system is something they could afford or take on right now.

nottooshabby

December 30, 2009 - 8:34 am EST

Let's realize that county, city, state lines are all arbitrary. Let's open the library to any and all who are interested in learning; and let the county pony up funds to support this worthwhile endeavor. Priorites, please~!

Bosco

December 30, 2009 - 9:44 am EST

Let's try this. When the County sends out its next property tax bills, a library card is enclosed to those of us that reside in the City and pay City property taxes. When you go to the library, you show this card. Similar to when you go to the health club, etc. No card, no admittance. Period. Will also solve the problem of "undesirables", better known as bums, hanging around all day sleeping and looking up porn on the computers. Close all the branches and have the main library open only. May help to bring a few more people downtown. Tell the County and State to stuff it. More than make up their measy contributions by closing the branches. Remind Billy and Steve that City tax payers pay County taxes and not the other way around.

Joe Killian

December 30, 2009 - 10:20 am EST

Let's not forget that some of our youngest citizens benefit most from the library - using them to do research for school papers and projects, learning to love reading by going through their books, etc. Closing all but one branch is a radical solution to say the least -- but in even suggesting something like it, it's worth considering how many children and teenagers (to say nothing of adults) in the city and the county are going to have less access to all that a library provides if we end up with fewer library branches and services than many towns a quarter as large.

I ended up saving this interview for my next piece on the libraries, but Commissioner Carolyn Coleman said to me that she believes a good library system is a basic service to citizens. A lot of this argument centers around whether that is true.

Beachwalk

December 30, 2009 - 9:34 am EST

Why does the city need any money from the county? They have plenty of money already.
Why just recently they agreed to build a $20 million swimming pool.

The_Weasel

December 30, 2009 - 7:06 pm EST

The Swim Center is being paid by in part from $12.5 Million in bond money and the rest from sales tax on hotel rooms, none of that comes from the taxes people pay to the City or County. Well depends on how you look at taxes levied on hotel rooms, unless you stay in a hotel in the city limits, you arent paying for it. Not sure if the Council vote to fund the rest of the Swim Center included a rate increase or just to replace/delay replaces seats at the Coliesum. The revenue from the hotel sales tax has been used to fund upgrades for the Coliesum Complex before, this is more or less a add-on to the Coliesum Complex. Wish the Complex's War Memorial Theatre got its bond money upgrades, I think they could design it down some, so people would vote for it. What it failed two times now and cost keep raising. I dont think we will get is much money in the that economically impact study for the area suggested, but I think it will attrach people to the area for Swim Meets and stay in hotels, use restaurants, gas stations, and maybe some retail shopping. How much is debatable. Also, could add to the prestige of the area. Though, I think the Downtown Greenway would do a better job on side note, at least for the Greensboro.

Panacea

December 30, 2009 - 11:03 pm EST

Neither the bond money, nor the hotel tax money, is allocated to maintenance. How is the city planning to pay for maintenance? I have repeatedly asked this question, and no one has answered it.

notoriousBLOG

December 30, 2009 - 9:36 am EST

What is the big deal? Everyone knows the city of Greensboro has an unlimited source of money! Want to build a new hotel downtown? Sure we'll give you millions in incentive and free land to do that. Want to build a new world class swim center? Sure the tax payers can handle that? What is the argument about? Just let the city pay and shut up.

Beachwalk

December 30, 2009 - 10:04 am EST

Why is Greensboro so upset? The article clearly states "With the economy recovering slowly and the county deeply in debt". The city must do it's part and share the wealth.
How that Hoax and Chains working out for you?

fatboyfanuci

December 30, 2009 - 10:36 am EST

If they would stop providing access to everything on the Internet they'd save a ton in bandwidth. Just think how much bandwidth is wasted by people sitting there all day watching YouTube and other "academically" stimulating Websites. Yet, at the same time, the expensive library research databases are rarely used. Libraries in general don't need to be open as long as they are (is it really necessary to be open 9 to 9 every weekday, and on Sundays at all? They could save a ton by just closing on Sundays), the staff at many of them are bloated; filled with folks long past their prime and unwilling to learn the new skills required for providing real research services who are just drawing a paycheck. On top of that, you have jelly spined administrators unwilling to take care of behavioral issues not just with users but among their staff as well. There are plenty of ways libraries could save money, get lean and mean, and become efficient.

wscbd

December 30, 2009 - 10:54 am EST

Yes, most people who use the internet are doing little more than wasting time, but not all. I've used this example in the past, usually when someone complains about the academic utility of sites like YouTube. Until a few years ago, I had very little knowledge about automobiles; I could change my oil and do a few other basic tasks. Then, I purchased a 1962 Continental, in dreadful condition, for $200. Relying almost exclusively on the internet, including many how-to videos on YouTube and similar sites, I completely restored the vehicle on my own (except for the paint and upholstery, which are just beyond my skill level) for around 5 grand. Granted, I have my own internet access and only used the library terminals when I was already there for some physical resource, but what of those who have no internet access?
And why on Earth would the library be closed on Sunday? That's when I go (I must go to the Greensboro library even though I live in downtown W-S because the libraries here are worse than those I've seen in some third-world countries). I don't know about fatboy, but most of us work during the week.
I'm not sure that closing certain satellite branches would be a bad idea. Really, how many kids walk to their closest library? Most either take the bus or have their parents drop them off there. It takes no more than 40 minutes to get to anywhere from anywhere in Greensboro. Cutting our library system down to the main branch and 3 satellites sounds like a good idea to me.

oh good grief

December 30, 2009 - 10:51 am EST

Guess the County "folks" have forgotten that people living within the CITY of Greensboro pay COUNTY taxes. Just double-checked my property tax statement and, lo and behold, I paid 8% MORE in County taxes than I did in CITY taxes. To word it another way, county dwellers pay NO CITY taxes.

And lest we forget, we also have the City of High Point residents paying BOTH City and COUNTY taxes.

If the populations of both City of Greensboro and City of High Point were removed from the COUNTY tax base, guess what, County Commissioners, you’d have approximately 150,000 people OR LESS to fund you, your shenanigans, and keep you regaled in your clown hats. Have you ever heard of “don’t bite the hand(s) that feed you”?

So, shush, County Commissioners, about cutting Library funding when "your people" are consistently using the CITY of Greensboro libraries and probably the High Point library(ies) as well.

And a BIG, special SHUSH to County Commissioner Billy Yow who said “If we’re going to do that, let’s get into who uses the health services more, who uses animal control – that’s more of the people who live in Greensboro, but they don’t want to talk about that.”

Well I’m ready to talk about it Billy Boy. I imagine there are three reasons why more City residents paying COUNTY taxes use health services and animal control:

#1 ‘cause there are more of them paying into YOUR COUNTY tax base,

#2 it’s hard to find a good place for County (only) residents to park their mule-drawn carts at the Health Department locations, and

#3 County (only) residents just pull out the ole shotgun and kill animals instead of reporting them to officials so as not to enable a true head count of rabid and/or dangerous animals running loose in the County (yep, gotten let them hounds run loose).

anne_archy

December 30, 2009 - 11:11 am EST

Does Commissioner Yow not understand that if you live in the City of Greensboro you also live in Guilford County and thus pay taxes in both places? Or is he really as dumb as he looks?

wscbd

December 30, 2009 - 11:31 am EST

As Yow has demonstrated with every opportunity that he has ever been granted to do so, yes, he really is as stupid as he looks. And that's saying a lot, because does he ever look stupid.

lexalexander

December 30, 2009 - 1:11 pm EST

He's actually dumber. He forgets that city residents fund, among other services, the patrol and investigative functions of the county sheriff's department, which city residents almost never use and are quite pricey.

Bosco

December 30, 2009 - 2:07 pm EST

Hey, give that boy a break. Summich can fine water when others can't

Dogwood

December 30, 2009 - 12:12 pm EST

Yow and Arnold use the High Point library. Alston uses the Greensboro library. This recession hurts. Tax revenue is at the bottom. The epic battle will be for non-profit funding. A library is very important. Unfortunately our county is almost broke. I pray for wisdom.