During my 22 years at Whitman County Library, a few things have changed and I'm  not just talking about my expanding waistline!

Thanks to a hard working staff and an extremely supportive community, Whitman County Library (WCL) has flourished. Its not been an easy task as we've faced the challenges of operating a 14-branch library system, escalating technology costs, increased customer demand and a budget better suited to run one location.

How did we flourish?

WCL has come to depend upon a trio of funding sources that include local taxes, private donations and the support, consulting and funding administered by Washington State Library (WSL).

The funding WSL administers are federal grant dollars (LSTA) from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. These funds support many of the day-to-day services residents have come to expect. Like levy equalization funding for rural schools, LSTA funds provide services WCL could not afford otherwise. Services like the library's outreach van, online magazines and newspapers, educational databases and related classes to county schoolchildren, special children's programs to rural libraries and schools, parenting programs and the just about to be released, downloadable audio books.

Unfortunately, Governor Gregoire has proposed deep cuts to Washington State Library, cuts that would affect all of us right here in Whitman County. The cuts of $2 million dollars would jeopardize the $3.5 million dollars in federal funding that comes through our State Library.

We can't let that happen!

If legislators restore $987,000 of the proposed $2 million dollars in cuts to Washington State Library, federal funding can be preserved. $987,000 to bring in $3.5 million into our state sure makes sense to me.

Over the past year, Whitman County residents have generously supported their two legs of library funding. Residents voted to restore the library's maintenance and operation levy and donations have been strong. Help WCL preserve our final leg of funding by telling local legislators to restore $987,000 to Washington State Library.

 

.

For more information, contact:

Kristie Kirkpatrick at 509-397-4366

For a complete list of events and programs happening in all fourteen Whitman County Library branches, visit the Whitman County Library website or the library's events calendar or call the library at 397-4366 or 877-733-3375 toll-free.