By VOICE & VIEWPOINT NEWSWIRE
In a statement released Monday, April 15, Patrick Stewart, CEO of the Library Foundation SD had this to say about Mayor Gloria’s proposed 2025 Fiscal Year 2025 Proposed Budget:
“We are disappointed that Mayor Gloria’s proposed budget for the 2025 fiscal year continues the trend of chronic disinvestment for our San Diego Public Library system.
Libraries are more than just a place to get books. They help communities connect, people find resources, and all of us access the things that make us feel alive, get jobs, start businesses, and grow. In other words, libraries are an indispensable, free city infrastructure.
The proposed budget neglects long overdue investments in library books and online materials, maintenance, and Youth Service Librarians at every location. And, it proposes crippling cuts that decimate programs at every library, extend the system’s already unreasonable waitlist times, and hamper technology access in communities of concern.
San Diego deserves a robust library system that works for everyone. Unfortunately, this proposed budget does nothing to fix our deteriorating facilities, support our librarians and library staff, or invest in programming and resources that will keep the San Diego Public Library a critical resource well into the future.
We will work closely with the City of San Diego to ensure that the Library Master Plan, which outlines a just and equitable vision for the future of our libraries, becomes a reality. The City unanimously approved the Plan. It’s time to put that sentiment into action. This budget puts San Diego even further behind in realizing the Library Master Plan vision.”
