KTUU.com | Alaska's news and information source | Already underfunded by comparison, library feeling the pinch

Already underfunded by comparison, library feeling the pinch

by Rhonda McBride
Thursday, September 17, 2009

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- In a given year about the same number of people use the city library as the Sullivan Arena, almost 900,000.

And that number continues to grow, while funding for the library hasn't. In fact, a study shows other communities of similar size spend a lot more on their libraries. When compared to 35 cities of similar size, Anchorage has 40 percent fewer staff -- 86 workers compared to an average of 183.

"I wasn't just shocked," said Charles Wohlforth, a member of the Anchorage Library Foundation. "I was really embarrassed. I don't feel we're living up to our potential as a city if this really critical, central institution is being starved."

One sign of that starvation is a decision to close the library three days a week during the summer to cut costs -- a decision that comes at a bad time for many of the library's patrons.

"You're thinking about every penny that you spend," said Sue Miller, a library patron.

The library not only saves Miller money on books and CDs, it's a great resource. The library has much to offer, like free wireless service. But even so, it's not able to keep up with the demand for Internet access, one of the main reasons people come to the library.

"Well in the summer time, this place is just mobbed with tourists who want to use our computers," said Raleigh Elliot, an associate librarian.

The tourists log on to reserve hotel rooms and make travel arrangements -- a huge benefit to the economy. And as times grow tough, Internet access is also important to the locals who can't afford it and need it to find work.

More often than not, they must wait their turn. It's pretty easy to get a computer in the morning, but by the afternoon the waiting list can be up to a half an hour.

Another area where the library is falling behind is in buying new materials. The library spends less than 9 percent of its budget on materials; the average is about 13 percent.

The bottom line: Anchorage spends 22 percent less than other similar cities. The news is troublesome to young families who depend on the library, which is also is an anchor for families who home school.

"In order to keep it interesting we come down here and get new books that we haven't read through a hundred times, like the ones at home," said Julianne Dubois, who home schools her five children.

And while Dubois appreciates the service, she's not sure she wants to see funding increase at taxpayer expense.

The mayor isn't sure either.   

"Quite frankly, when we're looking at the labor contracts that we're faced with over the next four years, adding over $110 million to the cost of government, some things are going to suffer, and unfortunately it's going to be the budgets of virtually every department in the city," Mayor Dan Sullivan said. "There's just no two ways around it."

"Alaska's had a boom-and-bust economy, you know, for many years. During the boom, the library is flat-lined and during the bust it was cut.  So that's why we've gotten into this hole," Wohlforth said.

The Anchorage Library Foundation has been good at raising money -- $14 million since 2006 -- used to build more branches. But the board wants to take things a step further to promote the library as an essential service, like police or fire protection.

"Yes, money is short. But we need a vision and we need to know what the community needs from the library, what our hopes and dreams are for the library," Wohlforth said.

For now the Loussac Library needs to move quickly to protect past investment. The terrace is not just an eyesore, its foundations are crumbling and someday it will have to be torn down and replaced.

Those who love the library say such a project might be an opportunity for the Loussac to find new sources of funding and reinvent itself for future generations.

The Anchorage Library Foundation is conducting a survey, asking people what services they want.

Contact Rhonda McBride at rmcbride@ktuu.com