The EveryLibrary Institute, a non-profit public policy organization for libraries, has released a new report entitled "Funding Our Priorities: Comparisons of Public Library Funding and Services with Other Sectors in Post-COVID America." The report examines the current state of library funding in the US, analyzes trends and patterns in library funding, and provides recommendations for policymakers, library leaders, and advocates to ensure sustainable funding for libraries.

Authors A.J. Million and Jenny Bossaller analyze the spending priorities of state, local, and federal governments on public services, classifying them as core and discretionary, and discuss the negotiation that libraries must undergo to justify their investment. One area in which this negotiation occurs is policing and public safety, which raises questions about the impact of funding priorities on community services. The report compares the investment in libraries and policing and provides a table that shows per capita expenditures on library and police services. The analysis reveals that state and local governments invest significantly more resources in public safety and policing than libraries, with a per capita number of law enforcement employees that is much higher than library staff.

The report reveals that the per-capita number of library staff has shrunk in the past decade while the population grew. Explanations for this trend include retirements, hiring freezes, automation, and decreased library staff spending, while library employee compensation is lower than many public-sector peers. Data from the past decade also calls into question if increased funding is sufficient for libraries to meet their staffing and service needs.

"'Funding Our Priorities' is a comprehensive and insightful report on municipal and state revenue and expenditure priorities through a library lens," said John Chrastka, Executive Director of the EveryLibrary Institute. "It comes at a critical time when federal COVID relief funds are beginning to sunset and traditional pressures on state and local budgets will return. We hope that this report will serve as a valuable resource for library advocates, policymakers, and stakeholders who are committed to ensuring that libraries continue to serve their communities effectively."

The report is available for download on the EveryLibrary Institute website at https://www.everylibraryinstitute.org/funding_priorities_2023.

For more information on the EveryLibrary Institute and its work, visit https://www.everylibraryinstitute.org/research.

About EveryLibrary:

EveryLibrary is a 501c4 political action committee dedicated to building voter support for libraries. Since 2012, EveryLibrary has provided donor-supported pro-bono advising and consulting to 63 library campaigns helping to win over $220 million in stable tax funding. Beginning in 2016, EveryLibrary has provided strategic and tactical support to school library communities on education and tax policy, along with supporting dozens of challenges to school library budgets and school librarian positions in schools and districts across the country.

About EveryLibrary Institute

The EveryLibrary Institute is a national 501c3 non-profit with a mission to support libraries and librarians in the United States and abroad. We partner with allied organizations including foundations, philanthropic organizations, associations, non-profits, and academic institutions to enhance the perception of libraries and librarianship through direct engagement with the public.