libraries in Buffalo are more popular than ever, so why are they closing?

You can’t put it more plainly than this “After January 1, 2005: Your Library Will Close” Buffalo and Erie County NY libraries are looking at 80% budget cuts. They have very good advocacy pages set up like this “contact your legislature” page, but is it too late? I know that sometimes libraries consider closing [along with turning off the OPAC] as a tactic to raise awareness of funding cuts and their affect on libraries, but having a budget that is cut 80% really does seem like an irrecoverable budget slashing, doesn’t it? The budget is being debated and acted on this week, contact your local officials. As a side note, do you know why the county needs more money? It’s not because citizens are getting a tax break, it’s to cover rising Medicare costs.