Whereas Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin has informed the Birmingham Public Library Board that their operating budget for the 2021 fiscal year will actually be roughly 6.2 million dollars, and not the 12.83 million figure listed on page 33 of the Mayor's official budget proposal found at https://www.birminghamal.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/2021.Proposed-Operating-Budget.pdf,

And whereas, based on this revised budget information verbally delivered from Mayor Woodfin to the library board, the Birmingham Public Library Board has announced some 158 employee furloughs, beginning at end of business on Friday, September 25th,

And whereas, the Birmingham Public Library (BPL) provides essential services and resources to the people of the Birmingham-Metro area as highlighted by the following:

1. BPL provides free educational and learning resources to people of all ages.

2. BPL offers cultural enrichment and enjoyment to its patrons, many of whom would not have this access otherwise.

3. Local, small businesses and individual career development are significantly aided and assisted by the resources and services offered by BPL.

4. BPL is a key avenue of betterment and support for the underserved and vulnerable members of its community.

And whereas these essential services and resources are all-the-more critically needed due to the various economic and psychological hardships resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic,

And whereas the Birmingham Public Library is instrumental in the functionality and success of the Public Libraries in Jefferson County (commonly abbreviated as JCLC), and disruption of or a decrease in BPL operations would adversely affect JCLC,

We, the members of the Birmingham-Metro community and the patrons of the Birmingham Public Library, call upon the members of the Birmingham City Council to protect the Birmingham Public Library and its employees by approving the 12.83 million figure as BPL's 2021 fiscal year operating budget, as officially proposed by the Mayor and his office.

We further suggest that, if necessary, the 12.83 million-dollar figure be retained for BPL's 2021 operating budget either by rejecting some or all of the estimated 11.21 million-dollar proposed increase in the Police Department's operating budget (per page 33 of the Mayor's official budget proposal) or by accessing the emergency reserve funds, as the current crisis around the COVID-19 pandemic surely justifies use of these funds.

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Disclaimer: This petition represents a grassroots effort and has no official affiliation with the Birmingham Public Library or its board or administration.