Advocacy

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In collaboration of the Friends of Eugene Public Library, we work to ensure Eugene Public Library has the financial support it needs to support the Eugene community.

The majority of our advocacy work is at the local level with the City of Eugene. We rely on constituents like you to contact your city council member, or attend a city council meeting virtually or in person. Your voice as a citizen is critical to show our city leaders that residents value their library.

How Library Funding works

Eugene Public Library is a department of the City of Eugene. A portion of Eugene residents' property tax dollars goes toward library funding. About 80% of the Library’s budget comes from the City of Eugene’s general budget, and about 17% comes from the levy, passed by over 76% of voters in 2021. About 3% comes from donations from people like you to the Foundation and from book sales held by the Friends. 

Advocacy Efforts

The Friends of the Eugene Public Library and the Eugene Public Library Foundation work together to advocate for Eugene Public Library to city leadership. Contact us to learn how you can get involved with this important work.

October 30, 2023 Update

We are worried. The FY24-25 budget did not cut the needed $20 million to cut to achieve a balanced budget. As we approach the next calendar year, we want to make sure that the additional money needed to be cut doesn’t come from the library’s already reduced budget. The library has already absorbed a disproportionate 26% of the City’s 34.75 FTE staffing cuts. Any further reduction in staffing levels may threaten the ability to keep branches open.

Coming up:

January - Start to connect with City Councilors and Budget Committee members to remind them of the library represents 2% of the city’s budget but already has absorbed 13% of the the cuts.

February - Write love Letters for the Library. We will have a letter-writing campaign for everyone to write to their City Councilor, the mayor, and City leadership expressing their feelings for the library.

March/April - City budget to be released, and we will know where the library sits in the proposed cuts. Hopefully, none of the proposed cuts will be to the library.

If you have the capacity or interest to help regularly, consider joining our committee. If you can help with the Love Letters, or ongoing communication with elected leaders, sign up for our newsletters to keep informed.

June 27, 2023 Update

Last night the City Council passed a small addition to the library’s budget in the FY24-25 city budget! These monies are comprised of $30,000 for programming directly focused on youth services, and $50,000 for youth materials, for both years of the biennial budget. These services will be funded with Community Safety Payroll Tax underspending committed to support youth-related services.

Although this is very small in comparison to the $2 million that was cut from the annual budget, we are greatly appreciative that the City Council and City Manager heard the many, many people who submitted written and vocal testimony raising concerns for the wellbeing of our community and for library employees with the loss of funding.

A special thanks to Councilor Matt Keating who is an unwavering supporter of the Eugene Public Library and the residents of Eugene, City Manager Sarah Medary who fulfilled on her promise to find funds, and the City Council for unanimously supporting the supplemental budget.

We will continue to watch the library’s portion of the City of Eugene budget and will advocate for a restoration of the $2 million of annual funds. We will post updates here, and email updates to the subscribers to the Foundation newsletter. You can subscribe at the bottom of the Foundation Home Page.

June 2023 update

At the May 24 hearing, City Manager Sarah Medary committed to the following for the supplemental budget to be reviewed in late 2023:

1)    Support early literacy in the Bethel area if the Early Literacy initiative in the Governor’s Budget is not passed by the Oregon Legislature.

2)    Find one-time funds for the library to be included in either this budget or in the supplemental budget to be considered at the end of 2023. 

We need to keep the library on the minds of the City Council and city leadership to ensure this happens. We will keep in touch periodically before the Supplemental Budget hearing to identify ways you can help make sure that happens.

We need your help now

1)    Write your City Councilor and express your concern about the library’s budget cut and note you will be watching to make sure funds for the library are included in the supplemental budget. Their email addresses are listed on the City Council website.

2)    Attend the June 26 City Council Final Budget Adoption Meeting

  • 7:30 PM Zoom/In Person at LCC building on 10th, across from the library

  • Wear something that shows your support of the library. One option is purchasing a shirt from our new online store.  See details below.

3)    Speak at the June 26 City Council Final Budget Adoption Meeting

  • 7:30 PM Zoom/In Person at LCC building on 10th, across from the library

  • Sign up to speak from 7:00 – 7:30 PM – Please let us know if you intend to speak.

  • Wear something that shows your support of the library. One option is purchasing a shirt from our new online store.  See details below.

T-shirts – Wear Your Support

You can choose from two designs, arranged in several options, so you can wear your support in a design that appeals to you. All proceeds from shirt sales will be donated to the library. Check out the Library Support store on Zazzle.

May 2023 Advocacy Update: Budget Hearings Recap and Thanks

Our request to fund an Outreach Librarian to serve the Bethel Library area in Early Literacy was not proposed as a motion because of a bill that is currently in the state legislature that, if passed, could help to fund these efforts.

A huge thank you to City Manager Sarah Medary for her commitment that if the bill isn’t passed, this need will be discussed in the revenue committee. In addition, she committed to exploring one-time funding excesses that could be used for the library, and that she will bring back ideas for the Council’s deliberation in June or in deliberation of the supplemental budget.

Also, thanks to Councilor Keating for his concept of using Urban Renewal funding for the renovation of the library’s fourth floor.

We have so many people to thank, but I want to publicly thank Councilors Keating, Yeh, Semple, and Budget Committee members Tai Pruce-Zimmerman, Ryan Kounovsky,  Eliza Kashinsky and Siobhan Cancel who worked hard on behalf of the library’s budget, raised concerns and voiced support about the library in the budget hearings.

A heartfelt thank you to all the Budget Committee members, the City Council and city staff who have worked so hard to get a balanced budget to be considered by the City Council in June. Also, a huge thank you to the sixteen people who testified publicly on behalf of the library and the seventy-plus people who submitted written testimony.


In the Media:

May 2023 Advocacy Update: Budget Hearings

Attend the Hearings

Join us at the budget hearings on May 17 and 24 at 5:30pm. Budget hearings will be virtual (Zoom). Let’s pack the hearing with library supporters.

  • See the Budget Committee Website here for a link to the hearing.

  • Click “Join the Meeting.”

  • Add “Library Supporter” to you name so the committee can see how many supporters are present.

  • We are coordinating who will testify at the meeting. If you are interested in testifying, please email us at advocacy@eplfoundation.org.

Write a Letter

We have heard how your letters are making a difference, including by being kind to our elected and volunteer city leaders. They have a hard job, and showing our appreciation for their service helps them want to engage with and listen to us.

If you haven’t yet, please write the budget committee and express your support for the library submit your written testimony to the budget committee through their website:

https://www.eugene-or.gov/FormCenter/Finance-25/Send-an-Email-to-the-Budget-Committee-156.

Be sure to include your name, your ward number, and your email address. Find your ward here. See elected Eugene officials and their contact information here.

Repost our Social Media

Help get the word out about the budget cuts and how everyone can help. Follow our social media, and repost what we share.


We are making a difference thanks to you!


April 2023 Advocacy Update: Proposed Budget Cuts

Link to the proposed 2023-25 budget

The proposed budget:

  • Proposes a $4 million biennial budget cut for the library system. This is a 12% decrease of its total budget or a 17% decrease of the library’s funding from the City's general fund. [Currently 80% of the library’s budget comes from the general fund, 17% from the levy, and 3% from patron donations.]

  • Cuts library staffing by 9.2 FTE, which accounts for 26% of the 34.75 FTE proposed staffing cuts, City-wide.

  • Reduces materials and services by $1,868,000 biannually.

While the library’s proposed $32.4 million biennial budget represents about 2% of the City's $1.5 billion budget, it would absorb 13% of the total $30 million cuts.

Eugene Public Library:

  • Is the only department that has no way to recoup lost funds because it does not charge for any services, with 97% of its funds coming from taxes and 3% from patron donations.

  • Is ranked nationally in the top 3% of libraries for cost-effective delivery of services.

How can you help?

Advocacy One-Pagers

March 2023 Advocacy Update: City Budget

On April 26, 2023, the city manager will present the proposed biennial city budget. Facing a revenue shortfall, we know all aspects of the city will experience a funding cut. As we learn more about how the cuts will affect the library, we will post more information on this site.  

If you are interested in helping advocate for the library, please sign up here. We need help with writing emails to city leaders, attending budget hearings, and meeting with city leaders.