GAO – PUBLIC LIBRARIES – Many Buildings Are Reported to Be in Poor Condition, with Increasing Deferred Maintenance. A Government Accountability Office report reveals that about 70% of US libraries have deferred maintenance, with 39% facing backlogs of more than $100,000. The report highlights that 43% of libraries have accessibility issues and 61% report health or safety concerns. Libraries rely on local funding for maintenance, but some federal funds are available. What GAO Found – An estimated 38 percent (about 6,000) of the nation’s public libraries have at least one building system, such as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), in poor condition, according to GAO’s survey of libraries. An estimated 61 percent, or 9,800 libraries, have at least one building system or feature that poses a potential health or safety concern. Library size and physical accessibility were most frequently cited as potential concerns. For example, librarians we spoke with, and survey respondents, mentioned small library buildings can have inaccessible areas, obstructed walkways, and overcrowding. While the total cost to repair public library facilities nationwide is unknown, an estimated 70 percent (about 11,200 libraries) have a backlog of deferred maintenance and repair, according to GAO’s survey. According to budget forecasts and planned projects, an estimated 70 percent of libraries also expect deferred maintenance to persist or increase in the next 3 years. One librarian estimated needing about $60,000 for a new HVAC, and another librarian estimated more than $225,000 in construction costs for building repair needs, including for asbestos removal. An estimated 39 percent, or 6,200 libraries, had a deferred maintenance backlog of more than $100,000 each. An estimated 71 percent of public libraries cited construction costs, such as labor and materials, and limited funding availability, as key challenges to addressing maintenance and repairs. An estimated 90 percent of libraries use local funding to address maintenance and repairs. However, reliance on local funding, particularly for small town rural libraries and libraries in high-poverty areas, can also pose challenges to addressing facility repair needs. For example, these areas may have less population and a more limited funding base, as well as fewer resources to apply for grants, provide required matching funds, or fundraise.