AUSTINTOWN Library trustees OK spending plan

The new Austintown public library branch led the county in circulation last month.
By PETER H. MILLIKEN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
AUSTINTOWN -- Trustees of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County approved a spending plan for 2003 that reflects an 11 percent reduction in library branch hours beginning Jan. 5.
Meeting at the newly opened Austintown branch Thursday, the board approved revised general fund spending of $11,326,583 for this year and $11,630,409 for next year. The general fund is the library system's main operating fund.
General fund spending for this year has been reduced from the $12,137,000 figure the board approved in January as the system suffered an $800,000 reduction in revenue from the state income tax.
State income tax collections, which provide about 86 percent of the system's operating income, have been reduced by the lagging economy, library director Carleton Sears has said.
Service reduced
For the system's 19 branches combined, weekly library service is being reduced by a total of 86 hours to save the system several hundred thousand dollars a year and achieve more consistency in branch hours, Sears has said.
In his report to the board Thursday, Sears said the Austintown branch has been heavily used since it opened in October. In November, its first full month of operation, it reported the highest number of items borrowed of all libraries in the county.
Having met with 19 community groups in Youngstown, Himmel & amp; Wilson, a Milton, Wis., library consulting firm, is preparing its report and recommendations concerning improving urban library service, and Sears said he expects the report to be completed in time for consideration at next month's board meeting.
Parent nights
To help serve parents and their children in the city, the system has scheduled a series of parent nights at its urban branches, one of which is scheduled for 4 to 6 p.m. Jan. 14 at main library, 305 Wick Ave.
Parent nights include a program for parents on helping children to be better readers, a story-time for children, a library tour and orientation, a sign up for library cards, a time for parents to share songs and rhymes with their children, and refreshments.
The board also honored Daniel H. Becker and Thomas G. Atwood, who recently resigned from the library board, for their service.