The Institute of Library and Museum Services (IMLS.gov) issued a report today on budget and resource trends for U.S. State Library Administrative Agencies (SLAAs). What is an SLAA? The IMLS report defines them as “official agencies charged by state law with the extension and development of library services.” The structure and services of SLAAs varies from state to state.

The report, Majority of States Report Decline in Support for Library Services [PDF], includes statistics for revenue received, staffing levels, and service levels. Among the findings, on page 4:

Overall, the 51 state library agencies collected $34 million less in state revenue in FY2009 than they did in FY2008, a one-year decrease of 3.3 percent. While this overall loss seems relatively modest, the aggregate revenue figure obscures significant changes at the state level (Figure 2). Six states reported one-year losses in state revenue of greater than 15 percent; New Mexico’s state revenues declined by 44.9 percent, Alabama’s by 32.8 percent, Florida’s by 30.7 percent, South Carolina’s by 23.5 percent, Kentucky’s by 16.9 percent, and Arizona’s by 16.9 percent. Florida reported the biggest loss in absolute state revenue; its state revenues declined by just over $14 million from FY2008 to FY2009.

The report also describes what measures states have taken to manage the loss in revenue, such as cutting funding for state grant programs, reorganizing, reducing staffing, and partnering with other institutions.

Press release: State Support for Library Services Declining, 18 April 2011 (IMLS makes the survey data and documentation available online; see the press release for details.)