Library staff to protest over funding cuts

KATINA CURTIS
KIAMA Library staff will attend a rally in Sydney tomorrow to protest against the ongoing reduction in State Government funding for public libraries.
The library will stay open but with a skeleton staff and there will be displays highlighting what could happen to library services if funding continues to be cut.
Last year the NSW Government provided about 7 per cent of total Kiama Library funds and the council made up the rest.
In this year’s state budget, a further $1.6 million was cut from funding for public libraries.
The council last week supported the moves, and Councillor Joyce Wheatley and community services director Mario Vallejos will also attend the protest rally.
Mayor Sandra McCarthy used a mayoral minute to recommend the council’s support and told the meeting she was very proud of Kiama Library.
Later, at the opening of the library’s new TeenLink project, Cr McCarthy said, “I support the campaign, and it is really something I would encourage young people to support, to get behind the librarians and encourage the state government to give more recurrent funding.”
Deputy Mayor Howard Jones said he was concerned that libraries would soon be hit with a “double whammy”, with moves to reduce the amount of Section 94 contributions that developers have to make to councils.
He said this would reduce the council’s ability to fund things like libraries.
“Libraries are copping it from both sides at a time when libraries should be supported from both sides,” he said.
Chief librarian Bobbie Miller said she was pleased to have the council’s strong support.
She said country libraries would be particularly hurt by the further funding cuts.
“We’re saying hey this has been going on too long and it’s got to stop,” she said of the protests.
The staff remaining in Kiama on Thursday will wear black and Ms Miller said there would be petitions throughout the library for public support.
“We’ll take all the new books off the new book stand and put a sign saying this will be affected and have signs on the computers too saying this may be cut. It’s making the public aware of the situation,” she said.