The Earl Park Public Library's Collection Development Angel

Earl Park Public Library

Woman keeps library alive with book donations. (WDAM, 12/20/2011)

Excerpt: Librarian Connie Sparenberg says book donations from people like Delp keep the library thriving. The town has less than 350 people, and the library depends on taxes for funding.

"If it wasn't for Marian, I really don't know how we would continue to expand our collection," Sparenberg said.

Of the estimated 25,000 books at Earl Park, at least 25 to 30 percent were donated by Delp.

"All of our books on CD have come from Marian, 95 percent of our DVDs have come from Marian," Sparenberg said.

Library Declining Revenue Compounded by Questionable Administrative Decisions

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Greenwood library director quits amid spending complaints. (Indianapolis Star, 12/14/2011)

Excerpt: The library has a budget of about $1.4 million, but revenue has been declining for several years. Officials blame a mix of property tax caps, falling home values and a reduction in income tax revenue as wages have dwindled.

Tax revenue will drop about $190,000 next year, but Dobbs said overspending this year means the overall shortfall is about $400,000.

More cuts are forthcoming, officials warned.

"Bear with us," Julian said, "we've got stuff to fix."

With Tax Caps and a Struggling Economy, Indiana Public Libraries Tough It Out

Indiana libraries closing doors, cutting hours. (Chicago Tribune, 11/5/2011)

Excerpt: Indiana libraries are delaying repairs, limiting purchases of new material and closing their doors as they bow under the weight of statewide property tax caps and declining revenue.

The Johnson County and Greenwood library systems face shortfalls of about 10 percent next year. Edinburgh plans to spend 5 percent less next year. And two branches of the Hammond Public Library system have closed while facing a $1.2 million shortfall. 

The changes are the latest to hit the state's libraries, which have been reducing hours, cutting employees and taking other steps to offset the loss of revenue from the tax caps and the struggling economy.

"We've had to do more with less," said .Cathy Hamm, director of the Edinburgh library.