Could more State Aid be saved if the Central Library were closed and more community libraries were kept open?
No. Since roughly 90% ($2.5 million) of State Aid is for System support, such as specific grants for Central Library services, keeping more individual libraries open would not materially alter the amount of State System Aid at risk. Library Systems serve individual libraries in a role similar to that performed by BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services) for school districts. At the B&ECPL those functions, housed at the Central Library, serve every library in the System. System services include the online catalog, circulation system, answering telephone and email reference questions, electronic databases, automation, acquisition, cataloging, preparing library materials for circulation, repairing damaged materials, program development, inter-library loan and moving requested books and other library materials among the 52 libraries in the System. These services are provided to all libraries in the B&ECPL System without additional charge. Further, the individual libraries in the B
Related Questions
- If currently established library cooperatives no longer receive direct state aid to public libraries funds, would they be able to stay established as governmental entities?
- How does the Library of Michigan impact the Legislature’s decisions on appropriations to state aid to public libraries?
- Would the Library lose State Aid if $19 million in County funding is cut?
