GO Bond 2 could provide critical statewide funding for library resources

As part of this year’s general election, voters in New Mexico will have a number of bond issues to consider as they peruse the ballot including GO Bond 2 or the library bond. GO Bond 2 will provide approximately $19 million including $6 million each for higher education libraries, and for academic, public school, and public library resource acquisitions. It will also provide $1 million for tribal libraries in New Mexico.

The 2022 GO Bond will provide $6 million each for higher education libraries, and for academic, public school, tribal and public library resource acquisitions. It will also provide $1 million for tribal libraries in New Mexico.

GO Bond 2 affects library users at UNM in a variety of ways including University Libraries, the School of Law library, and College of Nursing and health professionals throughout the entire UNM Health System. On UNM’s main campus, GO Bonds have provided access to essential resources at University Libraries for the entire campus.

At the UNM School of Law, faculty use Academic Search Complete in pursuing their own research - including doing preemption checks -  and for their interdisciplinary scholarly work. Electronic access to West Academic Study Aids is invaluable to law students providing electronic access to tools that first-year and upper class Law School students heavily rely on as tools in mastering legal analysis and deeper understandings of topics. During the past year alone, the database has been accessed on more than 12,500 occasions. 

On the health side, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health or CINAHL supports nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and many other allied health faculty with their research. Additionally, health professionals in the UNM Health system use CINAHL to improve quality, make clinical decisions, and promote better patient care.

Over 2018 and 2020, the library bond provided $232,000 to fund ejournals for research and scholarship spanning all colleges and programs at the UNM Health Sciences Center.  The New Mexico Coalition of Academic Libraries (NMCAL) subscribes to this resource on behalf of academic libraries in New Mexico, significantly reducing the cost for each member institution.  Individual subscriptions to these resources would be extremely costly and highly unlikely.

Other resources purchased with library bond funds in the past include books, CDs and DVDs, e-books and e-audio, magazines and databases. With electronic access to these study aids, students can access, and research topics as needed without having to check out limited numbers of copies on course reserves.

If passed, property taxes will increase slightly, however, the cost to taxpayers for this bond is minimal. The State Board of Finance estimates that over a 10-year period, Bond Issue 2 accounts for $0.82 per $100,000 property value. That is less than the cost of a pack of gum and certainly less than a book, DVD, or database.

For more information about Bond 2 and how it will affect you as a New Mexico resident, visit the Bonds for Libraries website.