Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee’s 2025 budget cuts 0.89% of state funding for the state’s public libraries, shaving thousands of dollars in programming and staffing funds throughout the state.
Under Rhode Island state law, the government is required to give public libraries 25% of their expenditures from two fiscal years prior. Gov. McKee’s budget cuts that aid down to 24.18% of what libraries spent in 2023.
For Cross Mills Public Library Director Sarah Ornstein, that small change will make a big impact. Approximately $2,000 of state funding will be lost, Ornstein said.
“It doesn’t sound like a lot,” Ornstein said. “But when you’re talking libraries, which have tight budgets anyway, every little bit does count.”
The Cross Mills Public Library uses state funding to staff their programming events, which happen multiple times per day. These include crafting circles, technology help and children’s reading events.
“We specifically embark on that state funding for staffing,” Ornstein said. “So I think for us, it’ll less affect what’s currently happening and more affect our ability to increase our services.”
South Kingstown Public Library will be taking a larger hit to their budget next year, library director Laurel Clark said. The library will lose approximately $8,000 of funding.
South Kingstown Public Library services a larger area than its Cross Mills counterpart. South Kingstown Public Library has three branches: Peace Dale, Kingston and Robert Beverly Hale.
State funding for South Kingstown Public Library generally goes to staff salaries and membership fees, Clark said.
Programming and community outreach programs are the common denominator in funding allocation among public libraries in the area. Community outreach is a main focus for the Cross Mills Public Library, including their Homebound program that delivers books to patrons unable to pick up and return them.
“There’s no doubt that especially in a rural area like this, this is where people gather,” Ornstein said. “They’re meeting other people at programs. They’re coming in here quite often for technology help.”
Besides programming, more people are turning to public libraries for assistance with social services, Ornstein said. Libraries offer access to referrals and assistance for housing, employment services and legal support, according to Social Work Today Magazine .
“One of the things that’s upsetting about the state cutting library funding is that I feel we’re [looking] more and more to fill those social services gaps,” Ornstein said. “We’re basically not getting the recognition of what an important role we provide in helping people access social services.”
Governmental support for libraries wavers with the economic state of the country, Clark said. State aid dropped in 2008 during the recession, but has climbed back to its previous state of 25% of expenditures throughout the last decade.
“We have been able to almost get back to where we were, and I think that shows support,” Clark said.
15 Rhode Island libraries have looked to their local government for support, and Cross Mills is one of them, Ornstein said. The Charlestown Town Council passed a resolution to give Cross Mills Public Library funding.
“The more the town gives, the more state funding they get,” Ornstein said.
The resolution now moves on to the state government. For more information on library budget allocation, visit www.olis.ri.gov .