A recommendation was passed at council's July meeting to endorse the NSW Public Libraries Association and Local Government NSW library funding advocacy initiative, Renew Our Libraries.

The motion included contacting state Member for Bathurst Paul Toole about the need for additional funding and writing to the Arts Minister Don Harwin and shadow arts minister Walt Secord to call for bipartisan support for a significant increase in state funding for NSW public libraries.

The council meeting papers said Oberon Council had invested significantly in library services over the past decade, spending approximately $145,000 annually.

During the 10 years, there have been 20,000 visits to the local library and around 12,000 loans annually, and the library has provided electronic resources and a range of community programs, according to council. 

Council says it is looking to spend almost $1 million to develop a Community Hub in 2018/19, which will expand the library.

While council receives funds from the state government, it says these funds have gradually declined.

It says state funding for public libraries covered only 7.5 per cent of the total costs of operating the 368 libraries across NSW in 2015/16. 

The level of NSW Government funding for NSW public libraries has reached crisis point, the council papers said.

“This is an historic issue that has been ignored by successive NSW governments,” the papers said.

According to council, the key issues are that: