Pre-COVID, the Providence League of Women Voters, with the concurrence of the League of Women Voters of Rhode Island, adopted a position urging the state to make the funding of libraries more equitable. The state has relied on a matching formula: whatever the city or town contributed to its public library(ies), the state matched, generally at 21 percent. The result: wealthier suburban communities received far more money, per capita, than large urban ones. In 2020 Barrington received $23.67 per capita from the state; Jamestown, $19.04. Providence received $4.92; Woonsocket, $4.86.

Representatives of the Providence LWV met with several state senators and representatives, including the then-speaker of the House and the President of the Senate.

COVID not only shut down many libraries’ operations, but dampened our zeal.

Libraries, though, remain essential. This past year demonstrated how essential wi-fi and computers are; public libraries remain the key source for many Rhode Islanders.

Now that we are leaving the era of lockdowns and pandemic-spurred closings, the League hopes to revive our plea for more funding, now possible with the infusion of federal funds, and for a more equitable funding formula.

We are hosting a virtual meeting of League members interested in pressing for more money, and a more just distribution of those moneys, to public libraries.

The meeting will be virtual, Wednesday, December 8, at 3 pm.

RSVP to emhead603 [at] hotmail.com if you would like to participate via zoom.

Thank you.

Maureen Romans Joan Retsinas