January 25, 2006

County libraries could close indefinitely

Staff reports

By 2007, Jackson County’s 15 new and renovated libraries could close indefinitely if the county loses federal timber money and can’t find a new revenue source.

Ronnie Budge, county library director, warned staff in a recent employee newsletter that the library system might have to prepare to close its doors.

This bleak scenario could arise if Jackson County loses its annual $24 million in federal timber funds and exhausts attempts with voters to approve a special district or levy.

With so many unknowns, Budge said, "The suggestion of closing the library is still a long way off."

She said the library system plans to do everything it can to stay open.

If the federal government still hasn’t decided whether to renew timber receipts — provided to counties once heavily dependent on logging — by late spring, Budge said the library system might ask voters in November to create a special district that would be funded by property taxes.

Budge said the library system, which already operates on limited hours with an annual $8 million budget, hasn’t determined yet how much it will ask from voters.

The library system receives its revenues from Jackson County. Because the county is worried about the loss of federal money, it has devised a preliminary plan to keep core services going such as the sheriff’s department and Health and Human Services.

Under the preliminary plan, the libraries would have to prepare for closure if they couldn’t find

The county anticipates that even if the federal government approves the timber money this time, it likely won’t be renewed in the future.