Page 159 - JOURNAL OF LIBRARY SCIENCE IN CHINA 2018 Vol. 44

158 Journal of Library Science in China, Vol.10, 2018

space for policy implementation. The free admission funding guarantee can neither be constant nor
should it increase substantially at one time, but should be compatible with the fluctuation of social
commodity price level, adapting to the increase in free admission work content and number of
service people, in order to explore the steady growth mechanism of free admission funding.
Secondly, innovating the mode of guarantee and establishing an incentive and restraint
mechanism of “basic subsidies+incentive funds”. The lack of incentive and restraint mechanism
may induce “idleness” or restrain “advancement”. Our survey of some public libraries shows
that the establishment of “basic subsidies+incentive funds” incentive and restraint mechanism
has reached a consensus to a large extent: 127 of the 178 public libraries surveyed agree with it,
accounting for 71.3%; 23 venues disagree, accounting for 12.9%; besides, another 28 venues’
data is missing, accounting for 15.7%, so their tendency can’t be determined. At the same time,
the venues with the approval attitude believe that the ratio of basic subsidies and incentive funds
should be 3:1 . Therefore, we propose to divide the free admission funds into two parts: “basic
〇a ①
subsidies and incentive funds”, 75% for basic subsidies to ensure the smooth advancement of free
admission work, 25% as incentive funds to stimulate the enthusiasm of the venues. The funding
ratio can also be adjusted and optimized according to feedback from policy practice.
Thirdly, optimizing the free admission funding apportionment mechanism and promoting
the moderate upward shift of basic level governments’ expenditure responsibilities. The free
admission policy belongs to the central and local joint powers. According to the principle that
powers determine the responsibility of expenditure, the mechanism apportioned by the central
and local government has a legal basis. However, due to the tax-sharing system and the level of
economic development in some regions, the central and western regions, especially some old
revolutionary base areas, minority autonomous areas, land border areas and underdeveloped areas,
ethnic minority areas have realistic difficulties in apportioning local expenditure responsibilities.
Therefore, we should consider the differences of inter-regional expenditure costs, fiscal capacity,
and financial difficulties, further increase the central transfer payments, give preferential treatment
to the central and western regions, the old revolutionary base areas, minority autonomous areas,
land border areas and underdeveloped areas, ethnic minority areas, promoting equalization of
basic public cultural services among regions. At the same time, in addition to rationally defining
the cultural powers and expenditure responsibilities between central and local governments, it is
more important to clarify the cultural powers and expenditure responsibilities of the provincial,
municipal, county governments at the local governments. Appropriately upward shift the
expenditure responsibility apportioned by the municipal and county governments, increase the
proportion of provincial-level finance, and gradually reduce or cancel the apportionment proportion
of finance at some municipal and county levels.

① Data Source: The “Culture Frontline” survey of National Institute of Cultural Development in Wuhan University in July to
August 2016.