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Library leaders ask LFC to continue GO bond support, emphasize tribal and rural needs
Summary
New Mexico Library Association and academic library leaders urged the committee to continue the library GO bond program and consider a modest increase to meet inflation and technology needs; they highlighted tribal library growth and group database purchasing for smaller institutions.
Library leaders representing public, tribal and academic libraries asked the Legislative Finance Committee to maintain and modestly increase funding for the library general obligation (GO) bond.
Joe Sabatini, chair of the legislation committee for the New Mexico Library Association, told members the 2024 bond passed with broad voter support and that the 2026 request is currently set at $19,000,000. He and other witnesses said inflation has increased costs for both physical and electronic collections, and that tribal libraries in particular rely on GO bond and federal grants to expand services.
Melissa Ratlison (UNM Health Sciences Library) and Kate Al Diretta (Albuquerque Bernalillo County Library System) described how GoBond funds have supported group purchases of databases that small academic institutions could not otherwise afford and how tribal library recognition has increased the number of eligible recipients from 20 to 25 in recent years.
"The GO Bond is essential to maintain and grow academic libraries' collections and services for our patrons throughout the state," Melissa Ratlison said. Kate Al Diretta urged the committee to consider increasing the package to $24,000,000 (she later adjusted the ask to $24,000,000 then to $24,000,000 in testimony) to cover inflationary pressures and to equip tribal libraries with critical resources.
Committee members thanked the witnesses and moved to the next agenda item; the chair asked staff to follow up on geo bond questions offline.
