September 16, 2009

I M M E D I A T E  R E L E A S E

contact person
Pat Ryan
Jefferson County Library Cooperative
pryan@bham.lib.al.us
(205)226-3615 W
(205)226-3617 F

JEFFERSON COUNTY LIBRARY COOPERATIVE PLANS FOR DEEP CUTS

Birmingham/Jefferson County, AL – The Jefferson County Library Cooperative is scheduled to lose funding of more than $1 million from Jefferson County starting October 1. However, all efforts will be made to save the basic services which include the online catalog.  The online catalog allows access to nearly 2 million items located in the 39 public libraries of Jefferson County.  Every effort will also be made to continue five day delivery to libraries and internet access.

Each Jefferson County municipal library’s local building, books and operations are funded locally by their cities, up to $30 million in 2008. However, the funding that supports the 31-year-old Library Cooperative links all the libraries. This funding also purchases and maintains databases, and allows all libraries to share materials.

The Library Cooperative, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, will begin accepting donations to try to bridge this gap in funding. Online donations can be made beginning Wednesday at www.jclc.org or Facebook, dropped off at any local library designated for JCLC, or mailed to Jefferson County Library Cooperative, 2100 Park Place, Birmingham, AL 35203.

The Jefferson County Library Cooperative (JCLC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization composed of the 39 public libraries throughout Jefferson County. These include the 19 municipal libraries, the 20 libraries in the Birmingham Public Library System along with the Birmingham Botanical Gardens Library. The mission of JCLC is to link our member libraries to provide better, more efficient centralized library services for all county residents. Visit www.jclc.org.