Currently, the 2021 Budget is funding PA Libraries at 5/12 of last year's funding.

What are the major impacts?

• Chester County Library and the 16 member libraries of the Chester County Library System will have fewer hours open, fewer materials for the public, and fewer services.

• Loss of databases to support businesses, job seekers, language learners and students

• Loss of e-book funding which is critical to students pre-K through college

• Loss of museum passes

• Loss of the new library app, curbside pickup and  program calendar software

• Computers that are leased will need to be returned, reducing the computer resources available to the public

This decrease in funding will severely and negatively impact our services and programs. More importantly, sufficient funding of libraries is imperative for keeping communities employed, educated, and engaged. The current funding is a loss of over $250,000 for the Chester County Library & Henrietta Hankin Branch Library.

Contact your representatives by:

• Picking up a letter to mail at the Reference desk OR

• Texting PPFWDN to 50409 / Resistbot to contact your representatives OR

• Contact your representatives directly. Use this link to find your representatives: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/findyourlegislator/

If you have any questions about how to contact your legislators, please contact the Chester County Library Reference Desk at 610-344-5957 or ref@ccls.org. Thank you for supporting your local library!