Groups to voice concerns about Rockford Public Library’s decision to devote 35 percent of budget to electronic resources

Online Staff Report

Save Our Library (SOL), a local library advocacy group, is working with the Rockford branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to address concerns regarding changes to the collection process at Rockford Public Library.

The groups will hold a joint press conference at 9:30 a.m., Friday, Jan. 13, in front of the Main Library, 215 N. Wyman St., downtown Rockford.

According to a press release: “SOL (pronounced ‘soul’) stands for Save Our Library. It is a new community-based group of concerned Rockford taxpayers and library supporters. The group formed because Rockford Public Library board, behind the doors of closed-session meetings, has quietly made controversial changes to their collection budget, transferring over 35 percent of their print collection budget to digital. (In contrast, the American Library Association states that most public libraries plan to devote 8-10 percent of their collection budget to digital material by 2016.) Such a drastic change will affect the Rockford community, limiting the library’s ability to maintain a solid printed materials collection while taking a gamble with taxpayer money by investing in a format whose library lending platform is unstable and unpredictable.

“SOL believes that Rockford taxpayers should know how their money is being spent and library users should be made aware of how these changes will effect the service that RPL can offer.

“SOL’s mission is to advocate for the Rockford Public Library services that its patrons want and need, as well as informing the public about library decisions that will effect the entire community.”