Professional paper

Public libraries recession – or depression?

Helena Novak orcid.org/0000-0001-7378-0907

Abstract

The economic recession that occurred in the United States of America in the period from December 2007 until June 2009 influenced the activities of public libraries during, but also in the post-recession period. In Croatia, the recession started in the summer of 2009 and it is still going on. The paper will present the impacts of the recession on the American public libraries in general, and draw a comparison with one Croatian public library (Zadar Public Library). For this purpose the results of the Library Journal annual research and the American Library Association annual reports for 2009 and 2010 have been used, as well as publicly available Zadar Public Library annual reports (2008-2010), with related financial and statistic Library reports. The recession impacts have been analyzed through the following basic parameters: financing of public libraries, the acquisition and circulation of library materials. The results of the comparison have shown the similar patterns of the recession influence, both in USA and Croatia, with negative effects mostly on building and adaptation of library buildings, salaries and acquisition of new materials. On the other hand, the circulation shows a considerable growth during the recession. Although the decreased financing probably causes stagnation of public libraries, the increased circulation, along with the social programs held by public librarians, indicate new possibilities for developing of public libraries.

Keywords

public libraries; recession; financing; acquisition; circulation; United States of America; Zadar Public Library

Hrčak ID:

80086

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/80086

Publication date:

1.5.2012.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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