Just months after it was named the Best Small Library in America, funding cuts are forcing the Union County Carnegie Library to reduce its operating hours, furlough staff and cease operations for six weeks.

Beginning Aug. 3, the library will reduce its operating hours from 54 hours a week to 44. Director Nancy Rosenwald said the reductions will be achieved by opening the library at noon on weekdays rather than 10 a.m. She said that under the new schedule, the library will be open from 12 noon-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday and from 12 noon-6 p.m. on Friday. The library will be open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday and will be closed on Sunday.

The library will shut down for six weeks including Aug. 10-15, Nov. 23-28 and Dec. 21-Jan. 2. The shutdowns will enable the library to reduce personnel, utilities, supply, cleaning and maintenance costs. The library is also cutting back on its purchases of books and other materials and reducing its magazine subscriptions.

Further cost savings will be realized through the furloughs of library staff. Mrs. Rosenwald said staff members will be furloughed for one to four weeks depending on their length of service and hours available for annual leave.

Mrs. Rosenwald said the library’s eight full-time staff members will maintain a reduced work schedule of 36-38 hours per week. Currently, full-time staff members work 37.5-40 hours a week on an as-needed basis. The five part-time employees will work only as substitutes. All staff vacations will be taken during the shutdown periods, allowing more staff to be available to work with the public when the library is open.

The library’s Bookmobile schedule will be revamped and service will only continue to outlying areas of the county and schools without a library. Nursing homes and day care centers will be served with deposit collections of books, magazines, CDs and DVDs.

Mrs. Rosenwald said the library is taking these steps to remain within its budget, which has seen revenue decrease over the last two years. These include cuts in state funding; the loss of state lottery funds; the elimination of Gates Foundation grants for technology upgrades; and no increase in the county tax millage since 2002.

The library’s 2009-2010 budget projects $356,000 in revenue, down from $470,000 in fiscal 2007-2008 and $386,000 in 2008-2009. While revenues have declined, costs have continued to increase, forcing the library to reduce expenditures, Mrs. Rosenwald said.

She pointed out that the Library Board of Trustees asked Union County Council to increase the library’s tax millage from 4 mills to 6 to make up for the loss in funding. This was denied, leaving the library with no choice but to cut back on its operating hours despite increased demand for the library’s services.

“The growth in library usage has skyrocketed during these economically depressed times since community members are able to use library computers instead of buying or upgrading their own, borrow library books rather than buy them, and attend free family events at the library instead of purchasing expensive tickets for performances,” she said. “Sadly, at a time the community needs us most, we must shorten our operating hours rather than extend them. For many residents, we offer their only connection to the Internet, books, videos, and learning opportunities.”

In January, Carnegie was named Best Small Library in America 2009 by Library Journal.

Mrs. Rosenwald pointed out that this is the second year the library has had to make painful choices to remain within its budget. In 2008, despite help from private donors, the library had to cut back on purchases of books and other materials. This year, the cuts are in personnel.

Library board chairman Jenny Alexander said the board will continue to seek funding from the county and the community to help the library continue to grow.

“It is the responsibility of the board of trustees to secure appropriate funding for the library,” she said. “We will continue to work with the county since they are our only secure and reliable funding. We will also look to the community to seek ongoing operational funds.

“Union County is lucky to have the Carnegie Library, the Best Small Library in America,” she said. “Union citizens have responded with record visits, nearly 1,300 visits in one day this summer. It is expansion, not reduction that this community truly needs. This is the challenge and task the board now faces.”