Mississippi Library Commission

February 3,2012

The Honorable Phil Bryant Governor of Mississippi P.O. Box 139 Jackson, MS 39205 Dear Governor Bryant:

I am very concerned about your Fiscal Year 2013 Executive Budget Recommendation calling for a 15% reduction in the budget of the Mississippi Library Commission and stating that libraries are not an "appropriate government function" and are a "non-core area."
The Recommendation is especially troubling when three (3) of your priorities, as set forth in your State of the State Address on January 24,2012, are being addressed by libraries every day:

"Making sure every Mississippian has a job" More than 37% of the 2.7 million people using computers in public libraries each year are doing job searches or completing employment applications. Some Mississippi public libraries even serve as WIN Job Centers.
With more than 60% of national companies only accepting applications electronically, Mississippians are using library computers to access/complete/submit online job applications and resumes. Employers routinely refer applicants to the public library to complete online applications. For many job seekers, this is their first experience using a computer, the Internet, or creating a resume. Many libraries teach basic computer and resume-writing classes. Others provide, upon request, one-on-one assistance. For those jobs requiring special licenses, high school diplomas, or advanced degrees, public libraries across the state offer online practice tests and computers for taking online courses to assist individuals trying to get a job or to get a better job.

"Early childhood literacy" For many of Mississippi's preschool children, their first experience with books and reading is in a public library, where more 400,000 children participate in 13,000 children's programs each year. From lap-sit programs, to weekly story hours, to outreach programs in area daycares, public libraries are a primary source for early childhood literacy for families in local communities.

The Honorable Phil Bryant Governor of Mississippi February 3,2012 Page 2

''Ensuring reading is at the forefront of our education plan"

School-age children and parents depend on public libraries to support homework assignments with books and electronic resources, for required readings, for study aids to improve test scores, for online remedial assistance in reading/mathematics/science, and for annual summer reading programs to ensure reading skills are not lost from one school term to the next. Ironically, government too is depending more and more on public libraries. The success of egovernment requires that citizens have access to technology. For many Mississippians that access is the public library (for 73% of 2.7 million people using computers in public libraries each year, the library is their only access).
o The Mississippi Department of Revenue (MSDR) no longer disseminates state tax forms to individual

taxpayers. Forms are available only at public libraries. Taxpayers are also encouraged to file state tax return5 electronically at the public library. This partnership is saving MSDR hundreds of thousands of dollars in printinglshipping costs annually.
o The public library provides many citizens with their only access to free tax preparation and e-filing services.

o As stated earlier, a number of Mississippi public libraries serve as online WIN job centers for the Mississippi Department of Employment Security.
o Small businesses must pay their Mississippi withholding taxes online. For many of these businesses and independent contractors (painters, landscapers, electricians, etc.), the library is where these filings are done.
o

Much of the interaction with Medicare must be done online. Many senior adults rely on libraries to help them file for and manage their Medicare benefits.

o An article, in the Clarion-Ledger on Wednesday, February 1,2012, touts the current role of public libraries in the delivery of broadband services in Mississippi's rural, high poverty areas. The proposed 15%cut in the Mississippi Library Commission's 2013 budget will be devastating to these as well as other local library services because 81% of state funds ($12,050,000) in the Library Commission's budget passes through the agency to libraries for:

Personnel Incentive Grant Program - Supplements local funding for public library salaries, enabling these
libraries to attract and keep the qualified staff necessary to provide services to Mississippi residents. ($5,272,763)

HealthLife Insurance Program for Public Librarians - Includes public library staffs in the state's health and
life insurance plan, making it possible for these libraries to compete locally in recruitingthiring staff. ($3,496,512)

MAGhWLIA - Provides statewide electronic access, through all types of libraries, to thousands of magazines, newspapers, and research resources ensuring that Mississippians of all ages have equitable access to information
needed to compete in a global society. ($1,000,000)

The Honorable Phil Bryant Governor of Mississippi February 3,2012 Page 3

Of the remaining state dollars ($2,267,975) in the agency's budget, 35% ($785,324) is used to provide statewide services such as large print books, other information databases, consulting, continuing education, summer reading program resources, and more to support the services provided by local public libraries to Mississippi residents.
Librarians understand that these are difficult times and we expect to take cuts along with all other public entities. However, over the last three (3) years, the budget of the Mississippi Library Commission has been cut by more than $3.4 million (almost 25%). As a result, local libraries have been forced to reduce staff, cut library hours, slash book budgets, eliminate programs, and close libraries. These cuts have and continue to severely impact citizen access to the very priorities of your administration -jobs, early childhood literacy, and reading. Libraries are integral to the state's education process from early childhood literacy, to making sure children can read, to preparing students for college, to helping a person learn a new skill, or to assisting an individual continue to learn over a lifetime. In addition, libraries contribute to the state's economic future by helping people prepare for, seek, and keep jobs. Governor Bryant, libraries are part of the solution for our wonderful state, not a burden upon it. Sincerely,

Sharman Bridges Smith Executive Director cc: Mississippi Library Commission Board of Commissioners - Russell Bums, Brookhaven; Celia Fisher, Okolona; Jolee Hussey, Oxford; Pamela Pridgen, Hattiesburg; Glenda Segars, Tupelo The Honorable Tate Reeves, Lieutenant Governor, State of Mississippi The Honorable Eugene S. Clarke, Chairman, Senate Appropriations Committee The Honorable Grav Tollison. Chairman. Senate Education Committee The Honorable ~ e r & Burton, vice-Chaikan, Senate Appropriations Committee The Honorable Videt Carmichael, Senate Appropriations Education Subcommittee The Honorable David Blount, Senate ~ ~ ~ r o $ a & nEducation Subcommittee s The Honorable J.P. Wilemon, Senate Appropriations Education Subcommittee The Honorable Philip Gunn, Speaker of the House, Mississippi House of Representatives The Honorable Herb Frierson, Chairman, House of Representatives Appropriations Committee The Honorable John L. Moore, Chairman, House of Representatives Education Committee