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Richmond, California, to Close Branches, Halve Library StaffThe city council of Richmond, California, voted March 30 to close the city’s two branch libraries as part of a budget cut of $9.2 million in response to a projected $35 million shortfall for the coming fiscal year. Acting Library Director Kathy Haug said in the April 2 San Francisco Chronicle that in addition to the branch closings, which are scheduled to take effect in May, the main library will be open only 30 hours per week, down from its current 41 hours. If the city calls for further cuts and layoffs, the main library might only be able to stay open 15 hours per week. Library staff will be cut from 62 to 32, and the materials budget will go from $200,000 to $60,000 next fiscal year. “We will probably only have local newspapers now, no magazines, and very few books coming in,” Haug said. Bookmobile hours will also be reduced, as will programs for children and adults learning English. NyRita McGee, a teacher at the Crescent Park Children’s Center, said she regularly takes her class of 4-year-olds to the Bayview branch for storytime, as the main library is too far away. “The kids are saying ’Please don’t lock the library,’” she said. To add to their library troubles, Richmond residents have also seen the West Contra Costa County School District close down all its school libraries. City council also decided to close half of its recreational centers and lay off an additional 181 employees in other city departments. It is also under fire from citizens and unions for the way it made these decisions—in a closed meeting without public debate. Posted April 2, 2004. |
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