DATE: Tuesday, April 8, 1997                TAG: 9704080288

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL  

SOURCE: BY IDA KAY JORDAN, STAFF WRITER

DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH                        LENGTH:   72 lines

CORRECTION/CLARIFICATION: ***************************************************************** The percentage of the 1996-97 Chesapeake budget devoted to libraries is 1 percent, not 1.9 percent. The figure was incorrect in a story about library funding on April 8 and in a Commentary book column on March 2. Correction published Saturday, April 19, 1997 on page A2 of THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT. ***************************************************************** PORTSMOUTH LIBRARIANS FEAR FUNDS ARE IN JEOPARDY

A proposed $838 cut in the city's public library budget for 1997-98 could cost Portsmouth more than $200,000 in state money.

State money is allocated on the basis of local participation and a decrease in city funding could jeopardize all of the state appropriation, retired Portsmouth librarian Dean Burgess noted.

``The state did a waiver when we lost several staff members two years ago, and our finance director wrote a letter saying it would never happen again,'' Burgess said. ``Now it is happening again.''

But Deputy City Manager Tim Little, who oversees the library, said the final budget would ``not ignore the situation'' that permits the state to withdraw all of the city's allotment if funding is decreased.

``We are aware of the state law, and we are not going to jeopardize the state funding for libraries,'' Little said. ``We're going to make sure it doesn't happen.''

Portsmouth's share of the state library budget for the current year is $208,569. Most of that money will be used to purchase books and periodicals.

Library Board Chairman Pearline Harmon, a librarian at Norfolk State University, said that aside from the danger of losing state money, Portsmouth faces a decline in its library services when the budget continues to lag.

Already, Portsmouth's funding for its libraries is less than half the percentage that library officials say is recommended.

``If we continue to drop, we'll never catch up,'' Harmon said. ``Libraries are part of economic development, a part of community and quality of life.''

Harmon said members of the board and library supporters intend to speak at tonight's public hearing on the budget, which begins at 7 in City Council chambers on the sixth floor of City Hall.

Margaret Gupta, the immediate past chairman of the board, said she was disturbed that the proposed budget would cut library funding.

``They tell us we're in the black in city finances now, so why would they cut the library?'' she asked rhetorically. ``Naturally, we are displeased.''

The proposed budget allocates $1,247,346 for the library, about 0.45 percent of the city's total operating budget. One percent of the budget is the minimum amount recognized by the American Library Association as necessary to fund a major urban public library.

In Hampton Roads, Chesapeake allocates 1.9 percent and Virginia Beach 1.1 percent. Norfolk, where citizens have been building a case for increased funding, appropriated 0.8 percent in the current budget.

The Portsmouth library's share of the total city budget was 0.61 percent in the 1986-87 budget and dropped each year to 0.48 percent in the 1996-97 budget.

Burgess said libraries are most needed in urban areas where they receive the least funding.

According to a library survey, about 60 percent of Portsmouth's residents use the library each year.

``If you take out all the population less than 5 and over 90 years of age, that's a large part of the remainder,'' he said. ``Our libraries need basics, not best sellers, and we need to provide materials for children who use them for their lessons.'' KEYWORDS: PORTSMOUTH PUBLIC LIBRARY BUDGET FUNDING

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