BUDGET OVERVIEW
On July 29, 2021, Mayor London N. Breed signed into law the City and County of San Francisco’s balanced budget for Fiscal Years (FY) 2021-2022 and 2022-2023. The budget advances new investments to support San Francisco’s economic recovery; continue the COVID-19 response; ensure public safety; provide behavioral health care; prevent homelessness and transition people into services and housing; create more housing; promote nonprofit sustainability and equity initiatives; and support children, youth and their families.
Of the City’s $13.2 billion budget for FY22, $171 million is appropriated for the San Francisco Public Library (SFPL). SFPL is dedicated to providing free and equal access to information, knowledge, independent learning, and reading for community. In addition to the longstanding priority areas shown below, with this budget cycle the Library prioritized investments to support the economic recovery of San Francisco from the COVID-19 pandemic and to build a more racially equitable organization.
FY22 Budget vs. FY21 Budget
| FY 22 Budget |
|---|
| $171M (including one-time $16M for capital) |
| FY 21 Budget |
|---|
| $152M (including one-time $7M for capital) |
| % of increase FY22 vs. FY21 |
|---|
| 12.9% |
FY23 Budget vs. FY22 Budget
| FY 23 Budget |
|---|
| $172M (including one-time $10M for capital) |
| FY 22 Budget |
|---|
| $171M (including one-time $16M for capital) |
| % of Increase FY23 vs. FY22 |
|---|
| 0.6% |
Three Year Budget Comparison by Program
BUDGET PRIORITIES
Premier Urban Library
Fosters a connected community through shared experiences, equitable access to quality resources, an inclusive environment
Literacy & Learning
Provides robust collections, resources, services, and programs that support reading and address the changing literacy and learning needs of the 21st century
Youth Engagement
Enriches youth with early literacy programs, summer learning activities, homework help, outreach to schools, and teen services with emphasis on technology access and media literacy
Digital Strategies
Ensures equitable access to public technology and resources
Partnerships for Excellence
Enables city agencies and community based organizations to leverage the Library’s resources, strengthens the services and programs offered, and helps reach larger audiences
Facilities & Infrastructure
Ensures the Library’s buildings and systems are high-quality and ready to meet service demands
STRONG LIBRARY COLLECTIONS
The Library commits approximately 19 percent of its operating budget each fiscal year from FY19 to FY23 to collections in various formats and multiple languages to support our diverse community. Enhancements are responsive to usage data and community requests. Print books remain the primary material format for patrons.
Library Commission Budget Discussion: