{"id":245637,"date":"2026-07-17T08:03:24","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T08:03:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/245637\/"},"modified":"2026-07-17T08:03:24","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T08:03:24","slug":"how-pa-libraries-are-getting-by-as-funding-dries-up-spotlight-pa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/245637\/","title":{"rendered":"How PA libraries are getting by as funding dries up \u2022 Spotlight PA"},"content":{"rendered":"

As funding remains flat and patron demands expand, public libraries in Pennsylvania need more help to maintain services for the communities that rely on them.<\/p>\n

Libraries have become not just gateways to books and the internet, but spaces for families, adults, and teens to socialize with peers. Their range of services can be surprising: Libraries variously offer educational programs, storytimes, game nights, language classes, crafting groups, exercise sessions, card clubs, and more.<\/p>\n

But all this programming comes with costs they increasingly can\u2019t afford. Even small libraries tend to have extensive built-in overhead, including salaries and benefits, technology, utilities, and digital materials and licenses.<\/p>\n

When any or all of those expenses creep up, libraries, which rely on public funding, have little recourse.<\/p>\n

\u201cLibraries don\u2019t charge people for their services, so they can\u2019t pass along their increasing costs,\u201d said Christi Buker, executive director of the Pennsylvania Library Association. \u201cThey just need to figure out ways to spend less.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s easier said than done, library officials told PA Local.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe simply don\u2019t have the resources or funding that our volume of services requires and deserves,\u201d said Kaitlin Lehman, director of Bethel-Tulpehocken Public Library. \u201cReally, we\u2019re just doing what we can to keep our doors open.\u201d<\/p>\n

Located in the northwestern corner of Berks County, the bustling library is open seven days a week. Last year, according to Lehman, it supported 47,000 patron visits, loaned 160,000 physical items, and hosted nearly 600 events, despite having only one full-time employee and an annual budget of just $300,000.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re always busy, so everyone thinks we\u2019re doing great,\u201d said Lehman. \u201cAnd we are, as far as welcoming people and helping them with whatever they need. But we\u2019re struggling to be able to continue doing that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Library operations and funding<\/p>\n

About 85% of Pennsylvania\u2019s 444 public libraries operate as independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, according to Buker. Each has a board of directors responsible for hiring a library director, overseeing operations, and assisting with fundraising.<\/p>\n

Libraries that aren\u2019t nonprofits are either part of a local government or another entity such as an authority, according to a report<\/a> from the state Office of Commonwealth Libraries (OCL).<\/p>\n

Municipal libraries include Mt. Lebanon Public Library in Allegheny County, which is owned and operated by Mt. Lebanon; Reading Public Library, a department of the City of Reading; and York County Libraries, which operate under a supportive county system.<\/p>\n

Normally, the municipality that owns a library provides a substantial portion of its budget. Municipal libraries that meet requirements for funding also are eligible for state aid.<\/p>\n

For example, according to its 2025 annual report, Mt. Lebanon Public Library received $2,068,645 from Mt. Lebanon, representing 73% of its entire budget.<\/p>\n

For its 2026 budget, Reading Public Library got about 50% of its $3,381,315 in funding from the city and county, with another 18% from the state.<\/p>\n

State support for libraries increased by $5 million to $75.47 million last year, but due to previous cuts, the gain only brought funding back up to 2001 levels, according to Buker.<\/p>\n

The 2026-27 state budget, which Gov. Josh Shapiro signed into law on July 12, provides no increase to library funding.<\/p>\n

\"ShelvesShelves and tables inside the State Library of Pennsylvania
\n(The Office of Gov. Josh Shapiro \/ Flickr)<\/p>\n

Nonprofit libraries depend on various sources for funding, including allocations from the municipalities they serve, some state aid, contributions from individuals and businesses, and support from Friends of the Library groups.<\/p>\n

Some apply for and receive federal grant money, but the process can be burdensome to small libraries with limited staff.<\/p>\n

Fundraising is important for most community libraries, sometimes generating a substantial portion of their budgets. And some supplement their budgets with revenue from meeting room rentals, printer fees, book shops, and passport services fees.<\/p>\n

This patchwork approach results in major resource discrepancies across the state, and sometimes year over year at a single library.<\/p>\n

Libraries funded by municipalities are at the whim of township or borough officials who decide how much to allocate. Typically, library staff will request a certain amount from each municipality within its service area and officials decide whether to grant the request.<\/p>\n

Last year, Berks municipalities provided a total of $1.63 million to the 19 libraries that are part of the county\u2019s system, according to Stephanie Williams, system administrator. Berks County provided roughly $1.26 million.<\/p>\n

Adamstown Area Library in Lancaster County serves five municipalities but receives only 27% of its funding from them. It gets the remainder of its money from a combination of income from services, fundraising, and the state.<\/p>\n

Those funding sources also can fluctuate.<\/p>\n

Adamstown, along with about 24 other nonprofit Pennsylvania libraries, was dealt a blow in February when it was ordered by the U.S. Department of State to stop processing passports.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a significant funding loss, for sure, but it\u2019s not only about the money,\u201d Library Director Corrine Brumbach told Spotlight PA, saying the service brought between $30,500 and $50,775 annually. \u201cOur being able to process passports provided a valuable service to our community, which is no longer available.\u201d<\/p>\n

She said demand for services is rising as the library\u2019s income stays the same or decreases.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s getting significantly more difficult to do what we do,\u201d Brumbach said. “Until we get some more stable funding, I\u2019ll keep losing a lot of sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brumbach pins her hopes on a referendum that\u2019s expected to be put to Lancaster County voters in November. If passed, it would create a new 0.55 mill tax<\/a> to support the county\u2019s libraries.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat would be a game-changer for us because it would remove the human emotion that\u2019s involved with funding a community library and assure we have support that\u2019s adequate and stable,\u201d Brumbach said. \u201cWe can\u2019t solve our financial problems with a bake sale.\u201d<\/p>\n

More offerings \u2014 and need<\/p>\n

Libraries have expanded their services significantly in recent years. In addition to book-related programming and activities for kids, an increasing number allow patrons to reserve tickets to area museums, gardens, zoos, and other attractions using their library cards. And many include a \u201clibrary of things,\u201d from which patrons can borrow occasionally used items such as a pressure washer or ice cream maker.<\/p>\n

Some offer ESL or citizenship preparation classes.<\/p>\n

\u201cLibraries serve people of all ages in many capacities,\u201d Buker said. “They have the ability to make a profound impact on communities and residents.\u201d<\/p>\n

An increasing number of community members have started showing up at local libraries for other kinds of assistance as well.<\/p>\n

Chelsea Williams, director of the Hamburg Public Library, said some patrons are requesting help with locating basics like food and rent, while those struggling to afford housing ask for help filling out assistance forms. The library has also hosted dental and mammogram screenings and serves as a heating and cooling center during extreme weather.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been working in libraries for 20 years and the needs have changed dramatically,\u201d Williams said. People sometimes sleep overnight in their cars in the library parking lot, she added.<\/p>\n

The Berks County Community Foundation recently initiated a program to bring social services into libraries in Bernville, Boyertown, Hamburg, and Morgantown.<\/p>\n

\"BooksBooks in the Osterhout Free Library in Wilkes-Barre.
\n(Commonwealth Media Services)<\/p>\n

Twice a month, social or health workers visit the libraries to support community members who have medical questions and other concerns.<\/p>\n

The foundation hopes to expand the program by partnering with area nonprofits, businesses, colleges, and universities.<\/p>\n

\u201cLibraries aren\u2019t called community centers, but many serve as them,\u201d said Susan Tracey, president of Pennsylvania Citizens for Better Libraries. \u201cThey fulfill a lot of needs that otherwise might go unmet.\u201d<\/p>\n

The future of Pennsylvania libraries<\/p>\n

Despite the financial constraints libraries face, officials hope to continue meeting the changing needs of the communities they serve.<\/p>\n

\u201cPublic libraries have become one of the few truly accessible public spaces for people to come without being expected to spend money,\u201d said Melissa Adams, executive director of Reading Public Library. \u201cPeople depend on us and we must keep growing and adapting to meet the demands of modern life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Just over half of Pennsylvanians are library users, according to the OCL report, and 4 million have a library card.<\/p>\n

Stephanie Winward is one of those patrons. She and her kids, Ryder, 7, and River, 4, frequent Adamstown Area Library, participating in many of the children\u2019s programs.<\/p>\n

She was particularly pleased with dinosaur-themed programming offered earlier this summer.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy kids just loved that,\u201d she said. \u201cIt was fun for them and gave them something to do, and they learned so much. I don\u2019t know what we\u2019d do without the library.\u201d<\/p>\n

While You\u2019re Here<\/p>\n

Spotlight PA\u2019s nonprofit reporting is a free public service, but it depends on your support. Give now to ensure it can continue.<\/p>\n

Winward praised the facility\u2019s variety of programming and services, including those geared toward older adults that focus on socialization, health, and computer literacy. She said she once turned to library staff for help filling out a tax form.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think a lot of people aren\u2019t aware of how much libraries do,\u201d she said. \u201cThey contribute an awful lot to a community.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Williams with the Berks library network, in 2025 the 19 libraries of the county system loaned digital and print materials with a total value of about $28.5 million. That did not include the value of all the services the libraries offer, whether audiobooks, internet access, or free meeting space.<\/p>\n

With libraries fulfilling more local needs, Adams called on residents and elected leaders to recognize them as essential institutions.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe role of libraries will continue to expand, but to do that well, they\u2019ll need sustainable funding, strong partnerships and the flexibility to respond to local needs,\u201d Adams said. \u201cPublic libraries are constantly adapting to serve their communities, but that work requires consistent support from the state, county, local municipalities, and community members.\u201d<\/p>\n

She added: \u201cThe future of libraries is strong, but only if we invest in them.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As funding remains flat and patron demands expand, public libraries in Pennsylvania need more help to maintain services…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":245638,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[28,30,29],"class_list":["post-245637","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-pennsylvania","tag-pennsylvania","tag-pennsylvania-headlines","tag-pennsylvania-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/245637","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=245637"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/245637\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/245638"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=245637"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=245637"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=245637"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}