TO: Arts, Education, Tourism, and Community Relations Committee of the Ulster County Legislature
I would like to start by thanking the committee for their historic support of libraries and for this opportunity to address you tonight.
The Ulster County Library Association (UCLA) was disappointed to learn not just of the Executive’s cut to contract agencies but of the degree of these cuts. A cut of 25% across the board during a budget that calls for a 4% cut to the entire budget seems quite drastic in comparison. We realize that we are not part of county government, but we all provide services to the citizens of the County that either assist citizens during hard times or enhance the cultural, educational and economic quality of life in Ulster County. Tax dollars spent on our services are dollars well spent.
Speaking specifically to the contributions of libraries in partnership with the Ulster government in recent years, we feel we have a success story that emphasizes the sharing of resources using a model of consolidation demonstrating economies of scale.
County funds for libraries subsidize our Ulster County InfoPortal, a collection of premium information services that inform citizens of all ages and interests and that are accessible to all. The InfoPortal is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to every person in the County with a library card from home over the Internet, or at their library during business hours.
County funding has allowed for the leveling of the playing field among libraries in the county. Libraries in smaller communities can offer their residents the same high quality information resources as those of wealthier communities.
Many of these products are procured via subsidy by other library entities which make them highly cost effective. Without county support, only a few individual libraries would be able to afford these products.
Many of these products are procured via subsidy by other library entities which make them highly cost effective. Without county support, only a few individual libraries would be able to afford these products.
Mango Language Learning
Language learning software where English speakers can currently learn 9 languages. This product can also be used by Spanish, Portuguese and Polish speakers to learn English. Upgrades to the service and an increase in the number of languages offered are expected this year without any increase to the cost of the product.
The Historical New York Times
A single source that provides a wealth of primary source information for users are interested in genealogy, history, the arts, business, international politics, or daily life over the last 150 years, the online historical New York Times contains every edition of the newspaper from its first issue in 1851 through 2006.
Recorded Books via NetLibrary
Downloadable audiobooks are most popular with commuters, travelers and readers of business books. Audio books can be enjoyed over users computers, car radios, and MP3 players including select titles available over IPods.
Gale Educational & Training
An educational and training library of hundreds of test preparation books in digital format which include sample exams for a variety of career and educational needs from GED to Civil Service tests. This is indeed a library within a library.
Gale Vocation and Career Collection
Gale Home Improvement Collection
Full-text and printable magazine articles in the essential area of vocation and career assistance and do-it-yourself home improvement resources appealing to citizens who are repairing rather than buying new in this economy.
Tumblebooks
BrainPop
BrainPop, Jr.
BrainPop Espanol
For children, we offer two animated educational products attractive to kids and approved by the educational community. Tumblebooks is a collection of published storybooks that build vocabulary and are available in English, Spanish and French. BrainPop, extremely popular with home-school families comes in two different age levels and there is a Spanish version as well.
HeritageQuest Online
AncestryLibrary.com
Studies show that the most popular area of interest among senior citizens is local history and genealogy research. The InfoPortal has HeritageQuestOnline which among other features has the federal census from 1790 to 1930, and AncestyLibrary.com. Ancestry.com costs about $200 for individual subscription but doesn’t cost anything at the six subscriptions that the County now subsidizes. HeritageQuestOnline is a $50,000 product that is made affordable to the County for $7,000 since we share the cost with the state and the Midhudson library system.
The Foundation Center
The Foundation Center is another high-cost, high quality subscription which was made available through last year’s increase in funding from the County. This resource can be used on any computer from the Kingston Library by individuals or social service and arts oriented not-for-profit agencies to locate available funding.
Funds expended for the Ulster InfoPortal (ulsterlibraries.org) are used to purchase products that benefit the citizens of the county directly. These funds do not support libraries or the Association’s operational budget(s).
This year represents the fourth year of our partnership with the County where we use our expertise to select meaningful educational products while optimizing tax revenue to serve a population diverse in age, language and economic status.
We look forward to continuing this partnership and hope that the Executive and the Legislature will amend the budget to keep UCLA funding constant from last year’s levels so we can maintain all of our vendor contracts.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
James Cosgrove
Vice-President
Ulster County Library Association
October 21, 2009
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