Options for Funding Local Library Operations (Including Collections) in New Mexico

This is a study of financing options for the operations of local libraries in New Mexico, whether these libraries are run by municipalities, counties, as a cooperative city-county effort, by non-profit organizations, by Native American tribes or by regional authorities as yet to be constituted. Our concern has been with the 93 local libraries that currently comprise the State Library system. We have not considered libraries in public schools, nor those in our colleges and universities, although surely these are important resources to local communities and not just to those who are fortunate enough to be students, staff or teachers/faculty at these institutions. The primary concern is with funding for library operations, by which we understand on-going needs: salaries and benefits for library staff, operations and maintenance of library facilities, utilities and other expenses associated with operations, and, critically, books and media. This is not to deny the importance of adequate facilities, but wonderful facilities are of little worth unless one can keep the doors open, a staff paid and unless one has product, most notably books and media, but also cultural and other programming to draw patrons of all ages. (Authors: Lee Reynis, Molly Bleecker, Sean Petranovich)