Perdue signs 2011 budget, approves major library projects
GPLS News, June 2010
Gov. Sonny Perdue
On June 8, Gov. Sonny Perdue officially signed the state of Georgia's $17.9 billion budget for fiscal year 2011. The budget includes two significant library construction projects added to the governor's original recommendations by the Legislature.
"Our elected officials clearly recognize the critical importance of public libraries during these tough economic times," said State Librarian Dr. Lamar Veatch.
"Working with so tight a budget forced a number of difficult decisions this year, and we are pleased that our capital construction program — which combines state and local funding — ultimately received this level of support from the governor and the General Assembly."
The library projects to be funded are a $3.9 million expansion of the Cherokee Regional Library System's LaFayette-Walker County Public Library and a $2.1 million renovation of the Athens Regional Library System's Madison County Public Library.
"We are very excited about the impending state funding for our project," said Lecia Eubanks, director for the Cherokee Regional Library System. "Our building was constructed in 1969 and was last renovated in 1990. The funds in the state budget will allow us to renovate the existing 20,000 square feet of space and add another 7,000 square feet to help us to meet the demands we are experiencing.
"Our computer and Internet usage has increased 29 percent in the past two years," Eubanks said, "and with only 11 public-access computers, we can't keep up. We are planning for at least 40 public-access computers in a dedicated lab or computer room setting. Our users will be ecstatic!"
The project will also include study/conference rooms, an expanded children's section and space for both a coffee shop and a Friends store. In addition to the $2 million in state support, the project will draw from $1.9 million in local SPLOST funds. Eubanks hopes to put the Walker County project out for bid in early- to mid-2011, and it should take about a year to complete.
Kathryn Ames, director of the Athens Regional Library System, revealed similar expansion plans for the Madison County Public Library in Danielsville. "This addition will enable the library to expand computer access for the residents of the county, improve services for children and provide new services for the community as a whole," Ames said.
"We plan to enlarge the children's area to better separate it from quieter areas of the library, and we will design the space to focus on our Every-Child-Ready-to-Read principles, which means more educational activities for younger children. We will also have a homework center; establish a separate teen area with computers; enlarge what are the only public meeting spaces in the county; and provide a business center with fax, copier and printers."
The library's front entry and circulation work area will be reconfigured to allow for self-check units and increased efficiency. The library board is also considering fundraising ideas that would allow for an outdoor reading area.
Ames said she hopes to have design work finished this summer and be ready to bid the project this fall. The facility will remain open during construction, with the possible exception of a few days when construction crews will work on a new front entrance to the building. The project's $2.1 million cost includes $1,517,200 in state funds and $582,800 in local funds.
"We are very appreciative of the support from our legislative delegation, the Madison County Commission, GPLS and the library board for their work on this project," Ames said. "This library's focus on families and education is essential to our goal of building and maintaining well-educated communities."
The governor vetoed the appropriation of funds to acquire land to build a parking lot for the Greene County Library in Greensboro through the issuance of $140,000 in 20-year bonds. Overall, however, Georgia's public libraries maintained state-level funding for fiscal year 2011, avoiding further painful reductions to already-strained budgets, explained Julie Walker, deputy state librarian. "The total state funding of $35,051,419 includes a small increase reflecting the state's population formula," she said.
"Libraries and GPLS will still struggle to sustain operating hours and services with budgets that are at least 20 percent below two years ago," Walker concluded, "but we feel fortunate to have escaped additional budget reductions, and we are grateful to our legislators for recognizing the increasingly essential roles that public libraries play in communities across Georgia."
