D.C. Mayor Finds Funding to Save Libraries
District of Columbia Mayor Adrian Fenty and Ginnie Cooper, chief librarian for D. C. Public Library, announced at an August 4 press conference that funding has been found to reverse $2 million in projected budget cuts that would have drastically cut library hours. “Residents can rest assured that they can continue to access all of D.C. Public Library’s resources seven days a week next year,” Fenty said, explaining that city officials never intended to trigger cuts to library service. The money is now available because payment for the District’s debt service on capital projects is less than originally budgeted—due to a combination of low interest rates on short-term borrowing and other factors..
Cooper told American Libraries that 71 staff positions will be restored because of the newfound funds, and that staffing levels will remain the same over the next fiscal year. The library expects to begin advertising jobs on its website soon, she said, and this fall the system is planning to hire 100 D.C. high school students to work 12 hours per week. In addition to the restored hours, the five kiosk libraries slated to close will remain open.
Library Board President John Hill also announced at the press conference that four replacement or remodeled libraries, including the Georgetown branch that suffered significant fire damage a year ago, are on target to open in 2010. The city is trying to accelerate the opening of the long-delayed Tenley branch, which was stalled by neighborhood redevelopment disputes, Hill said.
“Mayor Fenty has been a strong supporter of the library,” Cooper told AL. “That is why I remained hopeful that the potential reduction in the hours libraries would be open would not occur. Once the impact of the reduction was clear, we were delighted to see how swiftly the mayor responded to the need for additional funding.”
Posted on August 6, 2008. Discuss.