This week, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), a nonpartisan Congressional watchdog group, released a new report on the state of U.S. public library buildings. The results are not good. American library buildings are crumbling, and more and more necessary maintenance is being deferred.

“Public libraries serve as cornerstones of many communities,” the GAO reports. “But aging and outdated buildings can make it hard for libraries to meet increasing expectations to provide access to programming, technology, emergency services, and voting sites—in addition to books.”

The study offers the first comprehensive examination of the nation’s libraries. There are more than 17,000 public library locations in the United States, seeing over 800 million visits per year.

Roughly 6,000 libraries in the U.S.–about 40%–reported that one of their building systems is in poor condition. Those systems may include heating, ventilation, or air conditioning. The GAO found that 61% of U.S. libraries have at least one building system or feature that poses a potential health or safety concern. Library workers noted that these concerns often arose due to the size and accessibility of the library– small libraries have to make the most of the space they have, which can result in obstructed walkways or overcrowding.

“Every community deserves a great public library,” said ALA President Sam Helmick, president of the American Library Association. “Unfortunately, in many parts of America today, the local public library building falls short of what the community needs.”

In addition, 7,000 libraries report that their building has some physical barrier preventing access for disabled people.

Maintenance costs are cited as the biggest hurdle to addressing these challenges, with 71% of libraries noting that labor and materials exceed the budgets available for repairs. That explains why 70% of public libraries, or 11,200, report a backlog of deferred maintenance and repairs. That number isn’t going to get better, either. Those libraries expect to defer these repairs for at least three years, and 39% of those libraries report that their backlogs exceed $100,000.

Because public libraries rely on local funding, securing the necessary funds to cover costs can be challenging. This is especially true in small and rural libraries, and it’s made more difficult in an era of funding cuts and ongoing attacks on public libraries more broadly. Public libraries are also unable to use funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to cover the cost of building construction or repairs.

“In times of emergency, entire communities, including federal first responders, lean on public library spaces for computers and a reliable internet connection, access to food, water, shelter, and even help accessing disaster relief funds. As community anchors, library buildings themselves need to withstand the emergencies that their communities face,” said Helmick. “Investments in library facilities should be proportionate to the central role they play in learning, connection, and opportunity for so many people.”  

The GAO’s survey included 16,400 public libraries in all 50 states, as well as four territories, and the District of Columbia. The survey also involved on-site visits to 21 public libraries and two tribal libraries in seven different states.

The report can be read in full here.