Budget Conference Committee Agrees on Key Library Items

The State Budget Conference Committee has agreed to fund library items at levels previously approved by the Joint Finance Committee, Senate, and Assembly. Those items are library system aid, library service contracts, BadgerLink, and Newsline for the Blind. WLA will now turn its attention to items not yet decided by the Conference Committee, such as the proposed elimination of both the maintenance of effort requirement for system membership and the levy limit exemption for county payments to public libraries under s. 43.12. WLA also remains concerned about proposed cuts to the UW System and a provision affecting the Common School Fund that would ultimately reduce funding for school libraries.