FINANCIAL DATA
Public libraries are particularly reliant on government funding for their operation, with 93% of their total income of $839.0m in 2003-04 coming from this source. The total expenses of public libraries in 2003-04 were $852.8m, of which $447.7m (53%) were labour costs. Other major expenses were purchases of library materials, and repairs and maintenance.
10.9 INCOME AND EXPENSES OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES - 2003-04 |
|
| | | | Local libraries | National and state libraries | All public libraries |
| | | | $m | $m | $m |
|
2003-04 | | | |
| Income | | | |
| | Government funding | | | |
| | | Federal and state/territory | 106.6 | 259.4 | 366.0 |
| | | Local | 415.2 | - | 415.2 |
| | | Total | 521.9 | 259.4 | 781.2 |
| | Income from services to clients | 18.3 | 12.0 | 30.3 |
| | Other income | 2.4 | 7.7 | 10.2 |
| Total income(a) | 545.2 | 293.7 | 839.0 |
| Expenses | | | |
| | Labour costs | 340.8 | 106.9 | 447.7 |
| | Telecommunication services | 10.9 | 4.0 | 15.0 |
| | Repair and maintenance expenses | 20.6 | 9.5 | 30.1 |
| | Purchases of library materials | 47.8 | 8.2 | 56.0 |
| | Other | 106.5 | 125.1 | 231.6 |
| Total expenses(b) | 545.2 | 307.6 | 852.8 |
|
- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells) |
(a) Total includes other income such as fundraising, sales of goods etc. |
(b) Total includes other expenses such as subscription payments, freight, etc. |
Source: Public Libraries, Australia, 2003-04 (cat. no. 8561.0) |
The eight national and state archives were also highly dependent on government funding with $97.9m of their total $109.1m income coming from this source in 2003-04. An additional $10.4m came from services to clients. The total expenses of these archives was $107.0m with the greatest expense item being labour costs ($46.3m).
According to
Cultural Funding by Government, Australia, 2007-08 (cat. no. 4183.0), the Australian Government provided $65.4m towards funding for public libraries in 2007-08, while the state and territory government contributed $317.6m. Archives received $93.8m from the Australian Government in 2007-08, and a further $60.1m from the state and territory government.
The majority of funding for libraries, however, is from local government, with libraries receiving $653.4m in 2007-08, a 4% increase from 2006-07 ($626.7m).