Title
Supporting dedicated investment in the library’s collections
Body
WHEREAS Saint Paul Libraries are beloved community hubs that provide materials and resources that meet the learning, information, education and entertainment needs of Saint Paul residents; and
WHEREAS materials contained in Saint Paul Public Library’s collection are an important aspect of the library’s service infrastructure; and
WHEREAS the library’s collection of books, music, movies, and more that are available for public use are a direct public service that supports free access to information and learning in Saint Paul; and
WHEREAS there is growing demand for e-materials, the cost of which has increased more than 50% since 2019; and
WHEREAS library collections reflect the diversity and identities of our community and include all voices; and
WHEREAS locally-published, culturally-relevant materials are more expensive than those published by large publishing houses; and
WHEREAS funding for library collections has remained flat while costs for many collections materials have risen; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED that the Saint Paul Library Board strongly supports investing in the Library’s collections; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board recommends that the Library’s purchasing power for collections should be maintained or increased each year; and be it
FINALLY RESOLVED that the Board recommends the City Council work with the appropriate City entities to allocate a dedicated amount of Cultural STAR dollars to the Library’s annual collections budget.