Jones Library adjusts services to cuts

By Scott Merzbach
Staff Writer

Published on July 03, 2009

Closing the Jones Library on Friday afternoons will be the most visible impact of the reduced budget for library operations this budget year.

Trustees Tuesday voted 4-2 in favor of the weekly closings, which will save $11,844 toward the $34,704 needed to be cut to meet the $2.09 million budget approved by annual Town Meeting.

A series of other recommendations that came from the professional staff - including reducing some employee hours, restructuring departments and purchasing fewer materials - will also be implemented,

Trustee Louis Greenbaum was insistent that the full cut list should go into effect as a way of showing the public that the library can't conduct business as usual with a more limited budget.

"Reducing hours is an unmistakable sign to the people of Amherst," Greenbaum said.

Greenbaum added that the vote would demonstrate the responsibility of leadership that residents have entrusted in the trustees.

Trustee Carol Gray joined with President Pat Holland in voting against eliminating the 51 Friday afternoons.

Gray said she objected to any cuts that would require the library to close. Instead of shuttering the building on Friday afternoons, she said her preference would be to have staff take a week-long furlough, but keep the library open throughout the year with a "skeletal crew."

But the staff's offer for a furlough, in which it would give up a week's pay, was contingent on closing the library for one week.

Library Director Bonnie Isman said Sunday afternoons during the school year, which had also been under consideration for closing, were spared after staff compared the activity on that day to Friday afternoons.

"We found Friday afternoons were less critical to the public," Isman said. There was less demand in circulation, use of meeting rooms and computer use, she said.

The prioritized cut list also includes:

* $2,100 in spending on library materials, including archival supplies for special collections, book jackets and spine labels;

* $5,950 from the part-time staff at the children's desk, which impacts services at North Amherst Library;

* $4,200, or nine hours per week, from the technical services staff;

* $4,000, or five hours per week, from reference substitutes;

* $4,500, or 10 hours per week, from the adult and children's shelving staff, relying on volunteers and work study students instead;

* $2,400, or 4.5 hours per week, from the adult desk staff.

Meanwhile, trustees voted 3-2, with Kathy Wang abstaining, to sponsor a petition article expected to be on the July 27 special Town Meeting warrant to overturn the vote on the budget that occurred at annual Town Meeting. Petition articles for the Town Meeting are due into the town clerk's office by July 6.

Holland said a group of residents already have petitions aimed at gathering 200 signatures so that restoring the $34,704 can be reconsidered.

Trustee Chris Hoffmann said he couldn't support having trustees sponsor this petition article because it might reflect poorly on the trustees by not respecting the decision Town Meeting had made.

Holland, though, said she would endorse the idea. "I think we'd be weasely if we didn't support this," Holland said.

If the petition is brought forward by individuals rather than the trustees, it would have less chance of success, Gray said.

Holland, Gray and Sarah McKee all voted in favor, while Hoffmann and Greenbaum voted against.

If Town Meeting gives the trustees the extra money, the decisions to reduce the budget would likely be revisited.