Why should you care:

A $1.42 million cut this financial year is to be taken from the State Library of South Australia’s operations' budget  and the State Government allocation for 2016-7 will be reduced by $400,000 resulting in an overall cut of $1.82 million. This is a massive hit to the budget of the State Library of South Australia and the significant work it does for South Australians. This follows more than a decade of major cuts in staff and finances which have reduced services and opportunities. A funding reduction of this magnitude means the Library’s budget will be less than it was a decade ago. The operations of the Library will become untenable.

 These cuts translate not only to the loss of up to 35 jobs, but an appalling loss of skills and specialist knowledge. The Library’s collections and services lie at the very heart of South Australians perception of themselves - an understanding of where they live, who they are and where they have come from.

There has been no budget for buying new books in the past twelve months. This is at a time when there is a growing demand to access print material especially from schools.

The ability to collect digital resources is limited and contributing to the Pandora project has ceased.

There is a notion that research staff are no longer needed. The attitude that questions can be answered by searching the internet is bleak. It shows a complete lack of understanding of the depth of material in the State Library’s unique collections.

 The State Library provides an English Language Learning Improvement Service (ELLIS) for people who are learning English as a second language. This award winning service is under threat.

 The SA Government’s Seven Strategic Priorities includes “Every chance for every child – giving our children every chance to achieve their potential in life.” As the premier library in SA the State Library should be resourced to meet this strategic priority.

What is at stake is the diminution of an institution which supports the education and culture of all South Australians, severely limiting equitable access for all whilst purporting to  support the axiom “information is power.”

 The State Library is about more than books. It’s about preserving South Australian stories. Even if you have never visited the Library, it has probably impacted upon your life and the lives of your children in ways that you can’t imagine

•  https://www.flickr.com/groups/slsaww1/ South Australians of World  War 1
• The Cods.  A group of rowers from Murray Bridge who represented Australia at the 1924 Olympics in Paris.  Their story and then the resulting oral history and documentary that has been produced is just one example how cultural history can benefit the community.  As a direct result of this research, the Murray Bridge rowing club which was almost defunct now has a new clubroom and a resurgence in membership.  
•  http://www.crookedmirror.com/soundandlight/ PhD website on JS Ostoja-Kotkowksi, the first sound and light artist in SA.
• The Red Cross letters – a play from the poignant letters preserved in the Library https://sarcib.ww1.collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/ Red Cross Letters website http://www.statetheatrecompany.com.au/home/whatson/shows2016/theredcrossletters
• Who do You Think you Are? Adam Goodes finds connection to his country http://video.news.com.au/v/233269/Adam-Goodes-Who-Do-You-Think-You-are and Rove McManus and Paul McDermott discovered material in the State Library about their families
• National Treasures from Australia's Great Libraries exhibition brought in thousands of people to wonder at glorious items found in libraries across Australia
• SLSA contributed to Tony Robinson’s Walk Around Australia series for the Adelaide episode

These cuts come at a time when more and more people require the Library’s services. There is enormous pressure to make the archives accessible for such events as the commemoration of World War 1.

 Family history research is now one of the most popular pastimes in the world. The State Library is the first place many people visit in their quest to find out about their family story. This service will become a part of general reference with no specialist staff

 Authors, journalists, politicians and historians use the Library’s collections to inform their work, resolve problems and find solutions. Some make their living from the collection

• Liz Harfull the Blue Ribbon Cookbook http://www.lizharfull.com/the-blue-ribbon-cookbook/ has been a huge success not only in SA but Australia wide
• Wilfred Prest et al Wakefield Companion to South Australian History is an indispensable aid to students, journalists, local historians and South Australians.
• Land rights inquiries
• Former Premiers Don Dunstan and John Bannon wrote books based on research done at the Library.
• Staff member Anthony Laube contributed to a publication on Australian newspapers.
• Keith Conlon is a regular researcher into many aspects of SA history, including his time as host of the Postcards TV series.
•  Resources are researched for the SA Life TV series.

 The collections inform South Australians about the complex nature of the State’s history, society and the diversity of its people

•  http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=366 State Library of SA collections
• There are numerous collections listed in the UNESCO Australian Memory of the World including the Deed of Settlement of the South Australia Company, Mountford-Sheard Collection, William Light Collection, Archives of JS Ostoja-Kotkowski

The cuts go against the SLSA strategic plan http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=403

How will the Library ensure ‘current and future generations will enjoy and learn from the collections’?

How will the Library be able to provide timely information and research services?

How will the Library make their collections accessible?

How will the Library provide equity of access to information-  providing services to people across the state of all ages, all backgrounds and all socio-economic groups.

Do you want our state to be ‘the clever state’?

 Then stop the cuts to our SA State Library 

 Article by Dave Walsh in support of the Library:  http://www.weekendnotes.com/stop-funding-cuts-to-the-state-library-of-south-australia/

Letter written by Stephen Orr 
http://indaily.com.au/opinion/2016/09/12/our-libraries-need-more-not-less-money/