State Library Services News

The current issue of the State Library Services newsletter may be of some interest to library folk and others in the Arrowhead region. The July/August 2011 issue of Streaming News features some of the beautiful works of art created for use in/by public libraries in the Arrowhead Library System region. These works were created by regional artists and funded by the Legacy funds.

The Legacy Amendment increases the state sales tax by three-eighths of one percent beginning on July 1, 2009 and continuing until 2034. The additional sales tax revenue is distributed into four funds as follows: 33 percent to the clean water fund; 33 percent to the outdoor heritage fund; 19.75 percent to the arts and cultural heritage fund; and 14.25 percent to the parks and trails fund.

Thanks to the efforts of Representative Mary Murphy libraries were included in the distribution of those funds.

However, in the coming year libraries will be seeing by a reduction in funds from the previous year as "punishment" for their supposed error in judgement by paying multiple award winning and acclaimed author Neil Gaiman (the man is a ROCK STAR in the literary world!) his standard speaking fee for his appearance in Stillwater. The appearance was recorded and has been enjoyed by many others all over the world, in addition to the lucky few ( 500, but small is a relative number) who were able to hear him in person.