A letter to the Mayor of Chicago
I drafted this letter to send to the Mayor and alderpersons on the occasion of a budget hearing. I’ve also sent versions to the Tribune and Sun-Times. And now I’m sharing it with you.
The short version is this: the Mayor’s proposed budget cuts the collections line and eliminates positions as:
The city prepares to open ANOTHER BRANCH
Costs of materials are going up
The federal administration creating an environment where people rely on no-cost options for anything and everything.
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Dear Mayor Johnson and Chicago Alderpeople:
I’m writing to address the Chicago Public Library budget cuts in next year’s proposed city budget. I live in Chicago and have been a resident for 13 years. I am also a librarian.
I want to thank Mayor Johnson for recognizing the impact and importance of libraries, especially now as we see ever-increasing attempts at book bans and subversive attempts at limiting access to knowledge and information.
However, I am writing because I am extremely concerned about the proposed budget for next year. Collection funding for the library is cut in half, reduced by $5 million. Looking at the overall city budget, $5 million is a drop in the bucket; however, it makes a world of difference to library patrons. This budget reduction comes at the same time that publishers are increasing the cost of e-books and federal tariffs have increased the price of printing costs for physical books. This means that Chicago public library users will not get materials they want, and could mean a reduction in the use of libraries overall across the city.
Libraries function as third spaces, a place for people to go at zero cost in order to gather, to learn, and to grow. However, it is clear that what drives people to Chicago public libraries are the materials they want to check out. Circulation rates since 2022 have increased by 17.5%. The data bear it out: libraries provide the materials that people want and that people need.
Not only does the budget reduction come at the same time that costs are increasing for the very materials that this budget would purchase, it also comes as CPL prepares to open its 82nd branch. Additionally, the proposed budget has quietly eliminated 89 positions, essentially forcing CPL staff to do more with less. And I have no doubt that CPL staff will rise to the occasion, serving their patrons in the best possible way they are able, but this will add strain to a staff already operating at full capacity. As CPL staff continue to do more with less while trying to reduce any impact on patrons, I fear these significant losses will only be compounded.
Not only is $5 million not enough to support all of the collection materials that Chicago wants and needs, it doesn’t even begin to stand up to peer institutions across the country. I was distressed to learn that when comparing CPL collection budgets to other large urban libraries across the nation, we rank near the bottom in what we invest into our collections, even at current funding levels. Among the nine largest library systems serving populations of over 2M residents, CPL ranks second lowest in terms of spending per resident. The Illinois Library Association Standards recommend that all public libraries maintain a collection budget that is between 8-12% of their operating budget. With this cut, Chicago Public Library will only spend 5.6% of its operating budget on collection - well below the minimum standard recommended in our industry. These cuts will result in extremely long wait times for materials, and in some cases will deny access to materials that people need.
Exacerbating all of this is the fact that literacy rates are declining across the country, and we’re seeing it sharply in younger people. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, one-third of 12th graders did not meet basic reading requirements. Within Chicago, in 2024, only 22% of 11th graders read at grade level, less than a third. Most striking are the gaps we see in literacy with low-income students and students of color. Between 3rd and 8th grade, 23% of low-income students, 25.5% of Hispanic students and 22.6% of Black students met the proficiency goals.
Access to library materials is a lifeline for Chicago residents. I am proud of my home library/Chicago Public Library for the incredible impact it has in our community each day - for our seniors, our toddlers, and for everyone in between. I believe that here in Chicago, where we value education for all and investment in our communities, we should be leaders in investing in our public libraries - not failing to meet minimum standards. We can do better.
Please reconsider the budget cuts to the Chicago Public Library. Let’s invest in our residents, in our library patrons, in our learners and innovators and in our future.