Funding Updates: 2010 Service Cuts & Fee Increases

(Official Press Release)

MT. LEBANON -- Cuts in funding from state government and the Allegheny Regional Asset District funds distributed via the Allegheny County Library Association’s revised formula have forced trustees of the Mt. Lebanon Public Library to close the library on Sundays in 2010. The Board of Trustees approved the change Dec. 10 in a unanimous vote.
 
“We reached the decision to close Sundays after surveying our library patrons and carefully considering many options,” said Board President Christopher W. Cahillane. The library faces budget reductions in 2010 of 33 percent from the state and nearly 14 percent from the Allegheny Regional Asset District. The municipality of Mt. Lebanon, which provides approximately 57% of the library’s operating budget, will increase the library’s appropriation by 8.5% to partially lessen the impact of the losses.
 
The decision to close on Sundays followed a detailed analysis of daily patron usage patterns and represents an optimum level of service to patrons, providing 64 hours of opening from Monday through Saturday. The library has offered Sunday hours between Labor Day and Memorial Day for the past twenty-six years.
 
Under the current budget constraints, the library also must reduce staffing by 72 hours per week and freeze staff salaries and wages at 2009 levels. Additionally, the library has reduced staffing by 11 percent, which will result in longer waiting times for patrons. The library is the third busiest in the county, checking out nearly 600,000 items annually.
 
The trustees also approved increases to the library’s late fees, based on public suggestions, the first increase in six years. Adult print and audio materials will increase from 25¢ to 30¢ per day; children’s print and audio materials from 10¢ to 20¢ per day; DVDs and videos will remain at 50¢ per day. Copier and printer charges for black and white will increase from 20¢ to 25¢ per copy; color copies remain at $1.00.
 
“Our commitment is to serve Mt. Lebanon residents in the best way possible,” Cahillane said. “If our funding is increased in 2011, we will re-consider reopening on Sundays.”

Note: Please visit our donations page and volunteer page for ways to help the library through this difficult financial period.