The League of Women Voters of Rhode Island affirms the crucial niche of libraries: they are repositories of knowledge; they enhance learning for all ages; they serve as community centers. In a world linked to the internet, libraries provide essential computer access for many Rhode Islanders.

The League of Women Voters of Rhode Island supports both state and local funding for public libraries.

Libraries, particularly those in urban areas, need additional funds to maintain, if not enhance, services. We support additional state funding for public libraries, provided that the state consider the following principles for distribution of funds:

• A population component
• Tax base of the community
• The League supports the state assuming the fees of statewide services of the Ocean State Network (or any other cataloguing and distribution system the state sets up)
  

   

The League of Women Voters of Rhode Island believes that local communities should prioritize library funding in years of increased revenue. The League is concerned with the impact over time of continuous flat funding.