Thu Sep 02 2010
by Emily Canning-Dean
Reporter
Twinsburg -- With its revenue from the state projected to decrease by more than $378,000 in 2010, the Twinsburg Public Library will cut at least one full-time position and reduce its hours beginning in January.
According to Library Director Laura Leonard, more than $144,000 will be cut from the library's proposed $2.7 million budget in 2010. The library's budget last year was $3.1 million.
Cost-cutting measures will include the elimination of the deputy director, a reduction in part-time hours and the elimination of two paid holidays for full-time employees. Leonard said the library also will not replace two clerks retiring at the end of the year, and said full-time employees will begin contributing toward their health insurance to cover 5 percent of the overall cost -- something full-time employees had not previously done.
Leonard said library hours also will be slightly reduced. In 2010, Monday through Thursday hours will change from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. to 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. On Fridays and Saturdays, the library will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., rather than 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Saturdays between June 5 and Sept. 4, hours will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Leonard said at least one capital project planned for 2010, a $100,000 renovation of the circulation area, vestibule and the interior of the original 1993 building, has been put on hold.
"Hopefully, after an economic turnaround, we can complete work on the very busy circulation area," she said.
Leonard said current materials and programs would escape the budget ax.
"As long as the public library fund remains consistent, the library will be able to keep the materials budget at current funding levels," Leonard said.
Leonard said the Ohio Public Library Fund is 1.97 percent of the state's general revenue fund.
"The Twinsburg library is fortunate because more than half of our revenue comes from 2 mills of local funding," she said.
The library will receive about $1.5 million in local levy funds and an estimated $993,122 from the Ohio Public Library Fund in 2010, a decrease of $378,476 from the 2008 Public Library Fund collection. Leonard said she does not yet have a final number for the 2009 Public Library Fund collection.
The library has 53 full-time and part-time employees. The library has had more than 260,900 visitors so far in 2009, according to library officials.
E-mail: ecanning@recordpub.com
Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3172
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