These districts receive additional funding from state aid to compensate for a poor local property tax base on which to generate funding for local services. Unfortunately there is no comparable funding for urban libraries. These libraries face the same dismal property tax situation as urban schools. Consider the case of Camden City, one of the poorest cities in the country. The library would have to forgo its entire book budget to provide new technology.
Discounts are essential to an urban library.
New Jersey also has many small libraries which would be tremendously impacted if the e-rate were not implemented. The New Jersey Library Association also supports including inside wiring under the universal service program. Urban libraries generally have older buildings and need extensive wiring. Cities like Jersey City, Passaic, Asbury Park, Camden City have not completed inside wiring. Wiring should be considered part of the universal service plan at this time.