PROVIDENCE – The Providence Public Library Board of Trustees Thursday approved a $3.4 million fiscal year 2010 budget that calls for a cut in operating hours at the Central Library and the layoff of some library employees.
It’s the first budget approved by the PPL – the nonprofit organization that has run the city library system since it was established in 1878 – since the board of trustees agreed to transfer control of the branches and their materials to the city, which will pass them to the new Providence Community Library (PCL).
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A group of residents formed Providence Community Library to protect the branches after the PPL board voted last December to close five of the nine branches to deal with a budget shortfall. Now the city is expected to transfer its $3.4 million annual appropriation for library service from PPL to PCL, which says it can run the nine branches on an annual budget of slightly less than $5 million. Funding is expected to come from the state and private donations, in addition to the city.
To aid in the launch of the new municipal branch system, PPL is making all seven of its branch buildings available to the city for $1 a year beginning on July 1. In addition, PPL will be donating more than 260 computers and more than 390,000 books and holdings to the new system.
PPL will continue to manage the flagship Central Library on Empire Street with a $3.4 million budget funded by PPL’s endowment, private donations and state funding for the Statewide Reference Resource Center.
But Thursday’s budget vote means that the Central Library’s hours will be reduced from 49 hours to 38 hours a week. A library spokesperson said the library will close Wednesday, operate 5 1/2 hours on Fridays and Saturday, and operate four hours on Sundays, between September and May.
“This is a very lean budget necessitated by the current economic situation, and although we believe it supports Central’s core services, it also reflects some downsizing,” said Dale Thompson, Library Director. “Especially difficult is the reduction in staff, with some long-time library employees facing layoff.”
PPL already has mailed pink slips to nearly all of its roughly 120 workers, but the organization said Thursday that it expected to retain nearly 40 of them. Another 65 workers are expected to be hired by PCL to work at the branches.
The future of about 15 workers remains in question.
The PPL said only four administrators will remain: library director, assistant director, business manager and marketing/communication manager. The administrators are taking a 10 percent pay cut and will be assuming additional responsibilities, PPL said.
“While this is a painful transition, going forward I believe the patrons in Providence and statewide will benefit from this creation of two strong libraries, each with important but distinct missions,” said Robert Taylor, PPL vice chairman. “When we look back on this moment, we’ll recognize it was difficult, but we’ll also know we made the right choice. It is a choice that preserves neighborhood branches in the city and a strong Central Library with a broader role that complements and supports branch and community libraries across the state.”
The Providence Public Library is a 131-year-old private, nonprofit organization that serves as a public library for Providence, providing free information resources, education and community services. It also operates the Statewide Reference Resource Center, serving all Rhode Islanders with educational, cultural enrichment and economic advancement opportunities. To learn more, visit www.ProvLib.org.
Providence Community Library is a nonprofit established by city residents to take over the support and management of Providence’s neighborhood libraries. To learn more, visit ProvidenceCommunityLibrary.org.
For news and information from Providence, visit www.ProvidenceRI.com.
