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Library trims staff to save $202,000 for rest of 2009

The cuts, about 18 percent of the staff, will be at the Middletown library and West Chester Twp. branch starting in August.

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By Ed Richter, Staff Writer Updated 4:49 PM Friday, July 24, 2009

MIDDLETOWN — State budget cuts over the next two years are forcing the Middletown Public Library to eliminate up to 21 full- and part-time positions, starting next month.

The job cuts were approved Tuesday, July 21, during the library’s board of trustees meeting, according to board member Joe Lyons.

The cuts, about 18 percent of the library’s staff, will be at the main library in Middletown and at its branch in West Chester Twp., he said.

Library Director Doug Bean said the local system has 120 full- and part-time employees.

In addition, two employees were reassigned within the system while two other employees had hours reduced, he said.

The overall savings of the job cuts will be about $202,000 for the rest of 2009 and $613,000 for 2010, he said. However, Bean said it will not cover the additional $1.7 million shortfall projected for 2009.

“We’ve tried to be as smart as possible,” Bean said, adding that the affected employees are “great people” and that they will receive outplacement services.

He said he has met this week with the affected employees and outplacement services are being offered to them. Bean said the library has reduced its staff by 8.5 percent through attrition since 2005.

The state cuts equate to a loss of $1.7 million in revenues for the nearly 100-year-old Middletown library system, Bean said.

Bean said the library system has an overall operating budget of  $5.6 million, however, revenues have been flat and have generated roughly $5.5 million.

“Other libraries are in worse shape,” Lyons said. “These are very difficult times.” He praised Bean and his staff for their efforts. The library also has a branch in Trenton.

The budget cuts also come at a time when the library system is becoming a busier place for patrons.

In 2008, borrowers took home 2.28 million items from the Middletown system, Bean said.

Starting Aug. 3, there will be new operating hours at all three locations that also are designed to cut costs as well as to keep serving its customers at its busiest hours, Bean said.