Library underfunding impacts 'already overburdened' staff throughout Oregon

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Worker burnout has proven to be a growing issue post-pandemic as families struggle to make ends meet while doing more with much less.

Now the State Library of Oregon has sounded an alarm on a recent trend in underfunding for local libraries that has caused a rise in worker fatigue.

A recent audit from the Multnomah County Library found that nearly 75% of its surveyed staff felt unsafe at work as budget cuts continue to lead to reduced hours, programs, and services for the public.

Underfunding has impacted libraries across Oregon -- including the Eugene Public Library and Beaverton City Library -- leaving jobs vacant as government leaders continue to see their libraries as targets as budgets shift.

The most recent cuts hit Salem Public Library in late 2023, causing the elimination of several faculty librarian positions.

The State Library of Oregon reports that Salem Public Library has “the lowest per capita funding of any large library in the state, with less than half the funding of its nearest peer, and less than a third of its best-funded peer.”

Library workers say these cuts are “not sustainable” for their communities nor staff. In a press release, the State Library of Oregon shared the following:

“Libraries and library workers fulfill important needs, often to people whom society has left behind. Cutting library budgets to fund other municipal, academic, or school services doesn’t eliminate those needs. Instead, a heavier burden falls upon the already overburdened library staff who remain.”

State Librarian Wendy Cornelisen said these places don’t just provide books, but are often a place for people to access computers, WiFi, and community programs.