Surviving the loss of state aid

Purpose – Given the issue of massive state aid cuts, this library aims to address the issue of how to handle poor or non‐existent government funding for public libraries. This situation has led many librarians over the years to explore the possibility of raising additional funds from alternative sources of income. Design/methodology/approach – The author takes this dramatic situation and spins this as a way to productively work with whatever givens still exist, be they staff, resources, technology, etc. On identifying needs and shortcomings, others can find where they can still provide information services, yet in new and innovative ways. Findings – Revenue streams may gain and reduce, but library users can remain a constant vibrancy in a community. This increasingly sophisticated demand for services and programs demands a parallel creativity of the library profession to develop programs and services, and find funding for them. Originality/value – The author provides four practical points of how to deal with state financial losses, both in narrative examples and a checklist form. The findings are illustrative and can be replicated in a variety of public, special and academic library settings.