[Libs-Or] Ready to Read reductions

[CORNELISEN Wendy * SLO]

Last month's Town Hall focused on the State budget (the recording is available here<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEIotfQ1zRg>) and covered the basics of Oregon's state budget processes.

As you have likely heard, based on the August revenue forecast, the 2025-27 Legislative Adopted Budget (LAB) is now out of balance. This week, the Governor asked agencies with General Fund and discretionary Lottery Funds to reduce spending by a total of $90 million and take additional steps to lower expenses during the current biennium. More background information, including the list of all agency reductions, is available here<Department%20of%20Administrative%20Services%20:%20Budget%20&%20Management%20:%20Financial%20Programs%20:%20State%20of%20Oregon>.

The State Library was asked to reduce General Fund spending by $40,000.

This initial reduction will be absorbed by the General Fund special payments made to public libraries, i.e., the Ready to Read grants. While this is not ideal, since there was an overall increase in Ready to Read grant funds for AY27, this cut can be absorbed and still leaves a small increase to the overall total. The Ready to Read biennial breakdown is:

LAB AY 25:                        $1,653,457
LAB AY 27:                        $1,722,902
Sept 25 reduction:              -40,000
Revised AY 27:             $1,682,902

This may not be the only reduction asked for in the coming months-there will be additional state revenue forecasts in November and February, which will help shape budgets ahead of the March 2026 short session. There are currently no talks of salary freezes or furloughs, and the Governor is not using her allotment reduction authority at this time.

Of course, this is all in addition to the potential federal funding losses that Oregon faces, including the $2.6M LSTA funding to the State Library. While there has been a sliver of good news from the Congressional appropriations committees, there's still a long road ahead with Continuing Resolutions looking very likely<https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/16/house-gop-cr-shutdown-stopgap-00566425>.

Thank you all for your support of each other during these hard times. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.


Thanks,

Wendy

Wendy Cornelisen (she, her, hers)
State Librarian
State Library of Oregon
wendy.cornelisen at slo.oregon.gov<mailto:wendy.cornelisen at slo.oregon.gov>
Office: 503-378-4367| Mobile 971-375-3992
www.oregon.gov/library<http://www.oregon.gov/library>
[Title: State Library of Oregon]

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