22 Jan 08 - Thousands Sign Library Funding Petition

More than 3,000 people have signed a petition calling on the State Government to improve funding to public libraries.

Andrew Fraser, Deputy Leader of the Nationals and Member for Coffs Harbour, accepted the petition from Library staff on Tuesday, January 22, at Coffs Harbour Library to deliver it to the State Parliament.

Last November, Coffs Harbour City Library and Information Service joined a statewide protest against the continued reduction of State Government funding for public libraries in NSW. Staff hosted a 'bread and water' morning tea and wrapped Reference book shelves in black plastic to highlight which resources would be unaffordable in the future if higher levels of funding are not forthcoming. Library users were also given the opportunity to sign the petition.

"We know that libraries are vital to our community and I think the number of signatures we received for the petition is proof of the level of concern felt by our users," said Librarian Enzo Accadia.

"We hope that NSW Government Ministers will take note of this petition and urgently address the unsustainably low level of funding for the State's Public Libraries," he said.

NSW has the lowest State Government per capita contribution to public libraries of all states and territories in Australia. State Government funding for public libraries has provided a significantly lower proportion of the total operating costs over the past 25 years, resulting in local government having to continually increase its contribution to try to cover the shortfall. 

Council included a range of measures in its 2007/2008 budget to help maintain the level of service that the community has learnt to expect from its libraries. However, increased resource and staff costs means Council is struggling to keep pace with the population increase and the pressures that puts on its library services.

Photo: Librarians Enzo Accadia and Carolyn Elmes hand the petition over to
Andrew Fraser MP on January 22, 2008 for him to deliver it to the State Parliament