The result of the Special Legislative Session held in November and December 2011 was a cut of nearly $1.4 million to the Washington State Library’s 2011-2013 biennial budget, a 12.5% reduction. $498,000 was directed by the Legislature and the remainder is the State Library’s portion of the cut to the Office of the Secretary of State.

The cuts will be addressed in the following ways: 1) implementing 8 days of furloughs, January 2012 – June 2013; 2) closing the Evergreen Radio Reading Service (Washington Talking Book & Braille Library) and a library branch at the Washington State Penitentiary and reducing service to half-time at the Eastern State Hospital library branch; 3) reducing staffing through full and partial layoffs, voluntary reductions, and not filling budgeted vacancies; and 4) reducing or eliminating travel, training, equipment, and materials budgets and money set aside for a new integrated library system.

During the recession that began in 2008, the State Library’s budget has fallen by 30% and staffing, now at 67 FTEs (full time equivalents), has decreased by 35%. Since 2001, operating budgets have declined by 46% and staffing by 58%.

Symbolic of the effect of budget reductions during the recession (2008 to present), our lobby is now unstaffed. Signs direct customers to the second floor which is now our only service point. Traditionally we have had three service points, reference, genealogy, and circulation.

In the current 2012 session the Secretary of State is introducing legislation that will allow the State Library to charge out of state customers for research services, particularly obituary lookups. We have sponsors in both the Senate and the House for SB 6047 and HB 2222. We ask that our supporters  continue to monitor our progress through the 2012 session. More cuts may be in store for state agencies as the Washington economy struggles to recover.