Status of the Fairfax County Public Library Budget
The FY 2011 budget was officially approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, April 27, 2010.
The good news is that the Board of Supervisors restored $676,743 of the $3.4 million in cuts to the library system budget. This funding will restore three hours of service on Tuesday evenings at eight regional branches. The restoration of $50,000 will fund outreach services via the Access Services branch which brings library services to individuals with disabilities. The library will also be able to retain ten full-time equivalent positions that were slated for elimination. Unfortunately, the remaining budgetary cuts will necessitate a reduction-in-force that will affect library employees.
News articles may be found on the Fairfax Library Foundation's Blog and detailed information about the county budget process is available on the Fairfax County Government Web site.
The Library and Education
The Fairfax County Public Library is vital to providing a Quality Educational System, the Board of Supervisors’ first priority. Students of Fairfax County Public Schools and those learning via home schooling and at other educational institutions depend on the public library when school libraries are closed on evenings and weekends.
The Ready to Read program supports literacy by preparing young children in Head Start and subsidized day care to prepare for reading, which is critical to early educational preparation.
The Summer Reading Program conducted in cooperation with Fairfax County Public Schools, encourages students to read over the summer, which helps to retain information learned during the school year.
The library also provides lifelong learning, English language conversation classes, quiet work and study spaces, meeting places and so much more.
Although the total library budget is significantly less than 1% of the Fairfax County budget, the library is one of only two agencies asked to prepare a preliminary budget reflecting a 15% cut.
A 12% library budgetary reduction in Fiscal Year 2011 will result in:
- A 1/3 budget cut in two years (18% in 2010) for a total 30%
- Fewer programs for children (Summer Reading Program) and adults (Perspectives Author Series)
- Self-service/reduced service on Sundays
- Self-service public Internet sign-ups and
- Express Check Out and self-service pick up of holds
- Branch hours will be further reduced
The above are in addition to changes that customers are now experiencing in library branches as the result of an 18% reduction in the Fiscal Year 2010 budget.
The following services have been eliminated as a result of the 18% reduction in FY 2010
- Branch hours have been reduced
- “Ask a Librarian’ Virtual Reference Services (customer services via e-mail, text and live chat)
- Subscriptions to many magazines and databases
- Tutor.com's Learning Suite, including online Homework Help, job search assistance and test preparation
- The Foundation Center cooperating collection
These efforts supported the library budget:
The community dialogue meetings, were an opportunity for the public to express themselves about the Fiscal Year 2011 budget.
The petition to ‘Save Fairfax County Public Libraries’ was organized by the Friends of the Fairfax County Public Library. Signatures are welcome.
The Chair of the Fairfax County Public Library Board of Trustees and the Chair of the Fairfax Library Foundation made presentations to the Board of Supervisors at the Fairfax County Budget Hearings.
What you can do now: Please share this information with other library friends!
Write to your Fairfax County District Supervisor via regular mail or by e-mail using the links below to. Simply find your library branch below, click on the appropriate Supervisor's name, and your e-mail program will open. The subject line will already be filled in. You may either use that or delete it and draft your own.
Branches |
District | Supervisor |
|---|---|---|
| Kings Park Burke Centre |
Braddock | John C. Cook |
| Dolley Madison Great Falls Herndon Fortnightly Tysons-Pimmit |
Dranesville | John W. Foust |
| Patrick Henry Reston |
Hunter Mill | Catherine M. Hudgins |
| John Marshall Kingstowne Richard Byrd |
Lee | Jeff C. McKay |
| George Mason Thomas Jefferson Woodrow Wilson |
Mason | Penelope A. Gross |
| Lorton Library Martha Washington Sherwood |
Mount Vernon | Gerald W. Hyland |
| Oakton | Providence | Linda Q. Smyth |
| Pohick Regional | Springfield | Pat Herrity |
| Centreville Chantilly Access Services |
Sully | Michael R. Frey |