TITLE
Recommendation to request City Manager provide the City Council a report within thirty days concerning the status and projected schedule of reinstating library hours at all library branches.
DISCUSSION
Libraries bore the brunt of prior fiscal shortfalls. The rolling closures instituted system wide in FY 04 allowed all neighborhood libraries to remain open, despite major staffing reductions, by cutting service from five or six days to four days per week and by rotating staff teams among twelve libraries. Two branch staffs were eliminated, and the remaining eight branch staffs service 10 libraries.
Additional reductions in FY 05 and FY 06 necessitated the closure of Main Library on Sundays and Mondays, and the closure of North Library one additional day. Neighborhood libraries are now open only four days per week and Main and North Libraries are open five days per week. These reductions also resulted in Main staff rotating to neighborhood libraries to cover continuing vacancies, which has further impacted service levels at the Main Library. All libraries throughout the City are closed on Sunday and Monday. In October, the Main Library was opened on Sundays.
With the passage of the FY 07 budget, library hours were to be reinstated throughout the City. Residents are eager to have expanded library hours in all the library branches and are inquiring as to when these expanded hours will be implemented.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
COUNCILWOMAN GERRIE SCHIPSKE, FIFTH DISTRICT