ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Albuquerque Public Libraries could be short hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding. According to a local organization, city leaders left out a necessary amount of money needed to keep libraries afloat.
The Library Advisory Board is a group appointed by city and county leaders to advocate for libraries in Albuquerque and Bernalillo County. They are worried about the proposed budget for fiscal year 2025 which starts July 1.
“Our biggest concern right now is regarding $400,000 regarding our budget request for IT technology services in particular,” Library Advisory Board Interim Co-Chair Stephanie Telles.
Telles said the money has been approved each year. Initially, the funds came from a bond, but years ago, they were transitioned into the operational budget. The advisory board said they not only want it to be added to the FY 2025 budget, but they also want it to be a recurring fund.
“We need the funding now, but this recurring issue of it continuing to kind of fall through the gaps needs to also be addressed,” said Telles.
The board fears it is now an oversight. They are calling on city leaders, reminding them how important the money is for the 19 libraries in Albuquerque and Bernalillo County.
They said the money is for basic needs to keep things in working order. Without it, they believe libraries will have to reduce hours and make staffing cuts.
“Without these funds for the IT infrastructure of the libraries, they just will not be able to operate at the expected levels that our community expects and deserves for them to operate at.”
According to the city, the proposed budget has just over $16,000 going to the public library. Nothing has been approved yet.
For the past five years, funding to modernize information technology in our public libraries was included in the budget as non-recurring funds. There is an accounting question about this funding that the finance department is researching as part of the budget process, and the city will make sure our libraries are fully funded.
Shelle Sanchez, Director of the Department of Arts & Culture.
