Library study reveals clues to funding
By LARRY MEYER
ARGUS OBSERVER
Saturday, July 19, 2008 10:19 PM PDT
ONTARIO — As the campaign to gain support for a new library district for the Malheur County Library in Ontario is underway, a new report examining how libraries are funded indicates most institutions are in the same financial boat.
In addition, the study, conducted by the Online Computer Library Center and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, also points out those committed to funding libraries are not the heaviest users, and voters who believe libraries are a transformation force are more likely to support an increase in library funding.
The Gates are major supporters of libraries, providing equipment as well as materials. In the local area, The Gates Foundation has provided six computers to the Malheur County Library and computers to other local libraries, Darlyne Johnson, head librarian at the Ontario facility, said.
“He gave training on them,” she said, adding the foundation provided money for a library staff member to go to classes. “They are wonderful computers.”
The Gates Foundation funding is distributed through state grants, Johnson said.
“He does it for all libraries,” she said.
While the OCLC study found libraries are held in high esteem, many libraries are not adequately funded, and about 80 percent of the public libraries are funded from local sources.
The study also found many people are unaware of all the services their libraries offer; increasing support for libraries may not necessarily mean a trade-off of financial support for other services; and most voters see the public library as a provider of information.
