City asked to reinstate library funding for books, materials

by the Eugene Public Library Foundation and Friends of the Eugene Public Library

Books and materials for the award-winning Eugene Public Library are no longer funded by monies from the city of Eugene budget.

Eugene Public Library has weathered dramatic cuts the City Council made to its budget in 2023 and 2024. Reduced library staff at the downtown location, as well as the Sheldon and Bethel branches, have undergone shifts in hours and duties to help cope with these cuts. Library staff have worked tirelessly for two years in hopes to shield patrons from the full brunt of the city’s cuts to its services.

However, the reductions have meant the city can no longer supply the library with the very materials that libraries require to run — not just books, but also electronic check-outs, magazines, DVDs, CDs, subscription services, and items for the Library of Things.

Collections for use by patrons, which cost about $750,000 per year, are the very core of library services and have been cut from the City Council’s budget.

With the city’s expenses slated to surpass Eugene’s revenue this year once again, supporters of Eugene Public Library fear that instead of reinstating funding for books, the City Council may again make further debilitating cuts to the library budget.

“Eugene Public Library is a cornerstone of our democracy, ensuring everyone has free and open access to information and materials. Further cuts would be catastrophic for our community,” said Eugene Public Library Foundation President Mandy Hazen.

In order to have funding for materials reinstated while maintaining the level of services in other areas of government, the city would need to find a way to increase their revenues.

Eugene Public Library Foundation and Friends of the Eugene Public Library ask that the funding for essential library materials be reinstated in this year’s budget process. The library collection provides essential materials for citizens of the entire city, ensuring greater equity of opportunities and information for all.

Linda Ague, president of Friends of Eugene Public Library, expressed the following: “We hope that the city finds a way to guarantee that our library is able to respond to the hundreds of different needs of the visitors who walk through the library doors every day.”

The downtown Eugene Public Library and its two branches in Bethel and Sheldon circulated close to 2.8 million materials last year, averaging more than 15 items per resident. In 2022, before the budget cuts, Eugene Public Library was nationally recognized as being in the top 3% of libraries for cost-effective delivery of key services by the Library Journal.

Eugene Public Library Foundation (EPLF) supports Eugene Public Library in its efforts to inspire lifelong learning and to enrich the entire community. We secure and responsibly manage contributions from individuals, businesses, and foundations to build community support for our Eugene Public Library.

EPLF was established in 1983 to work with members of the Eugene community to enhance programs and materials at Eugene Public Library. As the philanthropic partner of Eugene Public Library, we are truly honored to serve the public and Eugene Public Library by providing resources that are open and free to all.

The Foundation supports Eugene Public Library and our community through funding and advocacy for library services, programming, and materials. Additionally, the Foundation endorses and organizes support for local option library levies and bonds.

For more information, visit the Foundation’s website, eplfoundation.org, or call the Foundation office, (541) 338-7018.

Friends of the Eugene Public Library (FEPL) is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to strengthening the Library by encouraging people to be involved and providing financial support for programs and projects. The Friends raise money for Library programs and projects through the Second Hand Prose Book Store (located at the Downtown Library), our online sales through Amazon, memberships, our Annual April Book Sale, and other special book sales. All our sales are possible because of the generous donations from throughout our community.

For more information, visit the Friends website at www.friendseugenelibrary.org or call us at 541-484-1452.