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Here’s a morning wake-up quiz: What national organizations are visited more than 1.3 billion times a year, dwarfing attendance for all professional sports: NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, on and on, combined?
Answer: Public libraries, according to the Institute of Museum and Library Resources’ often quoted report from 2020. Libraries today are more and more busy, providing free access to Wi-Fi and computers, along with printing and of course books and electronic media.
Today libraries have become critical community support facilities, helping patrons with ever-changing technology, with career support, social safety nets and as “third places,” safe and free for all. Importantly, librarians act frequently as community navigators on issues like healthcare services, government benefits, housing and job searches.
Library funding levies found voter acceptance in last month’s elections, too. Eugene’s recent voter-approved levy renewal (with 62% of voters’ support) is perhaps the most striking in our region — although not as high as Baker County’s 70% approval for its library district levy extension.
About 54% voted to sustain services and programs at the Fern Ridge Public Library, and Grant County residents approved forming a new taxing district to secure stable dedicated funding for county library operations. In addition, Salem voters passed a levy last year to protect the library from general fund cuts, and Washington County voters increased taxpayer support for books and children’s programs.
All of these further demonstrate the trend being seen across the nation, of voters being keen to protect their libraries.
At the other end of this spectrum is our Springfield Public Library. With the 2026-27 city budget approved, the library will be forced to operate with two less staff positions beginning in July, and to be closed on Mondays. It will carefully fund an adequate flow of new books and materials, navigating around the continuation of our important library events and programs and facing a grim future for the next city budget round.
But the decision has been made, and we must move on and be positive that we, with the help of the community, can use our demonstrated strengths to look into the future and plan for a continued successful library that this community loves.
Much credit goes to our staff and volunteers who have been historically performing with funding for the key per-capita factors of staffing, operating and materials expenses (and going forward with two less library positions) between 22% and 50% lower than Lane County averages, as detailed in the 2024 Lane Council of Libraries report. On the positive side are performance factors for visits per hour, program attendance and physical materials circulation.
The bottom line is that your staff and volunteers are performing above average against the odds, every day for a better library for Springfield residents. We will be closed on Mondays beginning July 6, but children’s story times, the summer reading programs, our cultural plaza programs and the many services you have come to expect, like Friday morning’s drop in tech help, are up and ongoing. We are here for you!
