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Library director warns proposed state bills could curtail services, prompt policy changes
Summary
Dell Rapids Library Director Britney Mueller told the city council about two state bills — an amended funding cut (HB 1041) and a proposed criminalization of certain materials handling (HB 1239) — that could reduce training, resources and affect library programming and minor access policies if enacted.
Britney Mueller, director of the Dell Rapids Public Library, updated the City Council March 3 on two state legislative measures she said would affect libraries across South Dakota.
Mueller described House Bill 1041’s recent amendments as significantly less severe than an earlier draft that would have effectively eliminated the state library’s budget. The updated bill (referred to as HB 1041b during the meeting) would cut approximately $825,000 from the state library budget and reduce staffing by about five positions compared with the current staffing level, Mueller said. "It is still cutting $825,000 from the state library budget," she said, while noting that key services such as interlibrary loan and the Libby/OverDrive e-audiobook service would remain available under the amended proposal.
She warned that the bill would reduce the state library’s capacity to provide continuing…
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