Letter To The Editor – Clarifying The Funding Of The New Lebanon Library

To the Editor:
On behalf of the Trustees of The New Lebanon Library, I wish to address some issues raised (Letters, September 28, 2012) about Library funding.
First, recognizing how vital the Library is to the life and the future of our community, the citizens of New Lebanon have voted – not once, but twice, in referendums in 2001 and again in 2007 – to fund the Library under a New York State 414 statute. The 414 legislation was created to 1) provide a predictable income stream for libraries, 2) guarantee voters a direct voice in local library funding and 3) take local funding of local libraries out of local politics. Communities throughout New York State have supported 414 referendums as a way of guaranteeing the stability and continuity of library services. The fact that almost two hundred people in our small town made voluntary donations in the last year attests to the wide support that our Library enjoys.
Second, funding for the New Lebanon Library is not out of line with that of other Columbia County libraries. As the Kinderhook Library website clearly indicates, local taxpayers contribute $202,000 – and not $22,000, as the letter writer, having dropped a zero, mistakenly asserts. The funding formulas for all the libraries in the Mid-Hudson system are available on the Mid-Hudson website; details of the 414 statute are posted on the NY State website.
Third, many hundreds of New Lebanon taxpayers depend on the Library’s services, all of which are provided without charge. In 2011 almost 4,000 people attended programs (up 133% from 2006); there were more than 18,000 visits to the Library (up 53%), and patrons borrowed 34,971 books and DVDs (up 27%). In addition to its regular educational and electronic information services, the Library offered 284 programs in the past year.
Finally, like all public libraries, the New Lebanon Library exists solely to serve the public. The Trustees encourage members of the community to bring questions and concerns about the Library directly to us. We will be happy to meet with anyone; just leave a note with your contact information at the Library, and I will be in touch to set up an appointment.
Elisabeth Gitter
President, The New Lebanon Library