Shaker Heights Public Library
16500 Van Aken Boulevard Shaker Heights, Ohio 44120 216-991-2030
www.shakerlibrary.org
For Immediate Release
October 28, 2013
Shaker Library to Reduce Hours of Operation at Bertram Woods Branch
At its October meeting, the Library Board voted to reduce hours of operation at the Bertram Woods Branch, effective December 29, 2013. Declining income from reductions in property tax collections and the Public Library Fund have resulted in a loss of $1.2 million annually since 2009. Significant projected expenses for facility maintenance costs in the short and long term dictate that the library either seek an increase in the tax levy or reduce expenditures to meet reduced revenues.
According to Library Board President Jeanne Shatten, “The Library Board of Trustees is critically aware of the tax burden our residents carry. While the Library receives only 2.6% of the taxes collected locally, we will not seek additional millage at this time. As stewards of the public trust, we will also not reduce the library’s tax-funded materials budget that serves our customers’ needs.”
With these caveats, the Library is faced with reducing the hours at the branch and significantly
reducing staff hours. According to Library Director Luren Dickinson, “Hard times call for some hard decisions.” The Library administration and the Board arrived at these cost-cutting decisions after a thorough, data-driven review of library operations at both Main Library and Bertram Woods Branch. “We measured circulation, computer use, questions asked, and the door count at both agencies,” Dickinson noted. The utilization study revealed declining use at Woods Branch as well as peak days and hours of use at both library buildings, which allowed us to make focused decisions on which hours to reduce. Additionally, in many systems, branches are not open the same number of hours as a main library.
According to Dickinson, “Some staff reductions were effected through resignations and retirement, but we also had to make additional cuts to reduce staff hours further.”
Beginning December 29, 2013, Library hours at Bertram Woods Branch will be 1 to 9 PM Mondays and Wednesdays and 9 AM to 5:30 PM Tuesday, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and Main Library will close at 5:30 PM on Fridays. Additional savings will be realized in 2014, when both libraries will be closed for the Thanksgiving weekend. It will be designated as a furlough, and each staff member will lose one day of pay as a result.
As a show of support and to demonstrate leadership in reducing costs, neither the Director nor Deputy Director will seek reimbursement from the Library for any out-of-county travel in 2014. This will include transportation, lodging and meals for workshop and conference attendance.
According to Dickinson, “Although we hope to avoid further cuts, we cannot predict future library funding. We will continue to examine all expenditures carefully to make sure they are absolutely essential and will continue to look for savings wherever possible.”
All changes to hours and staffing will take effect December 29, 2013
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Questions?
Contact: Margaret Simon
216-991-2030 /