Lithgow City Council mayor Cr Stephen Lesslie says expenditure on Lithgow’s library services would not be reduced “on my watch”, with cuts to local library subsidies and grants slated in the 2018-19 state budget.
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The NSW Public Libraries Association has stated that the budget will see an 18 per cent, or $5 million, cut from the state government’s funding for libraries.
“I understand the state government is cutting funding for public libraries by 18 per cent,” Mayor Stephen Lesslie said.
“If this cut is applied uniformly across councils, that would cost Lithgow City Council $12,600 a year.”
Council’s executive manager of people and services Michael McGrath said he did not yet know whether the reduction in funding would impact Lithgow.
Council’s total budget for all library services in the 2017-2018 financial year was $465,000.
State government subsidies contributed $70,000 to that figure, Mr McGrath said.
“We’re still trying to figure out what the cuts mean and what they will mean for our service,” Mr McGrath said.
Mr Toole said he did not have information on the figures released by the NSW Public Libraries Association.
He said the State Government would continue to invest in libraries through grants.
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“Lithgow library recently received a large grant to refurbish it so it would be able to service the community of Lithgow and beyond into the future,” Mr Toole said.
He said grants would still be available to Lithgow Library.
Cr Lesslie said he would not support an overall reduction in expenditure on library services due to a possible reduction in the government subsidy.
“Support for the library will not be cut by any council budget on my watch,” Cr Lesslie said.
“But what’s going to happen is that to maintain an essential public service, particularly one that helps people on lower social economic levels, is the cost will come have to come from less services in other areas.”
