But library director Heather Bonney is trying to see the glass half full, saying at a recent county Board of Commissioners meeting that the change in hours would ensure that the library is fully staffed at all times.
Bonney, after being informed of a need for state level budget cuts, came before commissioners Monday to announce the time changes board members approved.
According to the data Bonney presented to the board, Clinton’s J.C. Holliday Library will change its schedule to Monday-Thursday 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. On Fridays, the library times will not change, but on Saturday, the Clinton branch will change to a 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. time slot.
At the county branch locations, the times will change to Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Such changes will take place starting Memorial Day, May 25.
All branches will remain closed on Sundays.
Bonney told the board that by closing at 6 p.m., the library system will no longer need to contract with a security guard, “as the library will be fully staffed until close.”
“This will save us $1,625 in the contracted services,” said Bonney in a letter to the board.
The reason why Bonney sought to cut her budget is a direct result of a one percent cut in a state grant she receives for the library system.
In an e-mail from Grant Pair, the assistant state librarian, the reduction was explained.
“Now, owing to a higher shortfall in the final tax collections of 2008, (Gov. Bev Perdue) has ordered additional reductions ... As a consequence, the Office of State Budget and Management has directed that the annual reduction in State Aid be increased to 10 percent.” And according to Bonney’s documentation, the State Aid grant that the library received decreases from $151,411 to $136,270, which equates to 10 percent.
But, she did not cut 10 percent at one time. In January, she cut seven percent of her budget by decreasing her audio/visual budget. In April, she cut an additional two percent by subtracting the cost of gas, oil and tires on the bookmobile. Bonney explained in an interview that she overestimated the cost of gas last year when it was costing about $4 a gallon.
Bonney insists that the decrease in hours will actually be better for her staff, since there will be no “swing shifts.”
“Now we have a full crew,” said Bonney.
She also attests that the libraries do not need full-time security guards now the library is closing at 6 p.m. When the library was open until 8 p.m., some of the library assistants and librarians had concerns with walking to their cars in the dark.
Also with the change in shifts, it will now be possible to have a librarian in the Children’s Room during the day and possibly have someone in the state history room as well.
Katie Holland can be reached at 910-592-8137, ext. 136, or by e-mail at silife@myclintonnc.com.
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