The first draft of the State's budget proposal for 2012-13 affects every statewide library program. You can view the proposed State budget by clicking here.

For more information, read below and click here to read the Library Journal's news article: "Proposed Budget in Texas Nearly Zeros Out Key State Library Funds"

Castroville Public Library benefits from those listed in orange:

Dear Library Supporter,

Take action now and click on SAVE LIBRARY PROGRAMS to send an email to your legislators. You can customize your message to describe the negative impact of budget cuts. The time for action is now!

Ask your friends, neighbors, support groups, and everyone you can think of to send messages as well. Distribute this call to action through social media and any other tools at your disposal. We need tens of thousands of messages to go forward, and we need your help getting this message to our stakeholders across the state.

As you may already know, the proposed state budget:

* Eliminates Loan Star Libraries (direct aid grants to public libraries)
* Eliminates all state funding for TexShare databases
* Eliminates the K-12 Database Program
* Eliminates the Library System Negotiated Grants Program
* Eliminates state funding for statewide library development
* Eliminates state funding for the state depository program and TRAIL program
* Assumes an overall loss of over $8 million in IMLS funds (Note: federal funding is the source of funding for the regional library systems, the TANG program, and interlibrary loan.)
* Eliminates the Technology Allotment at TEA
* Eliminates funding for the State Law Library

Without a restoration of library funding, Texas will have no state infrastructure for library services. Compounded with massive cuts proposed at the local level throughout the state, Texas libraries are in danger. We need you and every single library supporter in Texas to write elected officials to oppose cuts to libraries and urge the restoration of funding for library services.

Gloria Meraz
Texas Library Association

Here is what you can do...

 1)      Call your state representative and senator and tell them not to cut library funding. Be prepared to make the case for your library and the impact it has on your community and students. For more information on library programs, see Issues and Taking Action.

2)      Develop an awareness campaign within your community. See the "What My Library Means to Me Campaign." Start marshaling your resources and get your army of supporters mobilized for action.

3)      Inform people around you -- administrators, community power brokers, student groups, PTAs. Show them how they can save state funding for libraries. Ask them to speak and write to elected officials.

4)      Participate in Legislative Day.

5)      Write letters to the editor; contact your local media about library funding.

6)      Above all: show up for duty!  This is a cause for each and every one of us, regardless of political affiliation.  We all want the same thing - a strong Texas with strong libraries.  If there was ever a time we needed library supporters to be proactive and aggressive in their support for libraries, THE TIME IS NOW. 

 

 Fight for our libraries. 

Let's not undo a generation of progress!

*From an email from the Texas Library Association