Gwinnett County library patrons might find their local branch closed two days each week if a plan to balance the budget by reducing hours is approved.
The library system is struggling to cope with lost funding from the county and state this year and library officials say cuts made in staffing hasn't been enough to keep the doors open seven days a week.
Though the details have not been decided, Executive Director Nancy Stanbery-Kellam announced a proposal last week to reduce library hours from 53 per week to 40. The library’s Board of Trustees could vote on a specific plan in November.
Deputy Director Liz Forster said library officials will consider feedback from patrons when deciding when Gwinnett’s 15 library branches will close, but added, “It won’t make everybody happy, no matter what.”
Library officials have warned that hours would be reduced since the Gwinnett Board of Commissioners cut library funding by $2.8 million – or 15 percent – in January. The library also lost $138,000 in state funding this year, a 13 percent reduction.
The library board in May eliminated 34 full-time positions and added 40 part-time staffers working 17 hours a weekwith no benefits. It also froze employee salaries (they haven't received a raise since 2008) and used $2.7 million in reserve funds to help cover costs.
If the reduced hours are approved, it would be the second time in two years the Gwinnett library system has reduced hours in light of budget cuts. Gwinnett closed its libraries on Sundays and Mondays for a time in 2009. The library board later restored seven-day service but reduced weekly operating hours from 71 to 53.
A further reduction will mean tough choices. For example, Forster said closing libraries at 7 p.m. instead of 8 p.m. would make it harder for commuters to use the library on weekdays. But opening it later than 10 a.m. would cut into time for preschool programming.
She said the staff will make specific recommendations to the library board later this fall.
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