MAHONING COUNTY Public library to cut hours

The library lost about $800,000 in state funding this year.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- To help offset the additional expenses of employee health insurance costs and declining state funding, the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County will make minor reductions in the hours of operation for most of its branches, its director said.
A plan will be finalized later this month or early December, said Carlton Sears, library director, who stressed that the changes will not be drastic.
None of the library's 19 branches will be closed.
Another reason behind cutting hours is to move toward having similar hours at the library branches, Sears said.
"We have a crazy-quilt pattern of places opening at all different hours," Sears said Friday at the library board of trustees' service and personnel committee meeting. "We're trying to standardize everything. The plan we have will reduce hours, but we're trying to make hours consistent at the branches."
Less funding
The library received about $10 million this year in state funding, which comes from personal income tax revenue, Sears said.
That is an $800,000 reduction from last year, he said. The slumping economy caused the state funding reduction, he said.
Also, the library's health insurance costs increased by $400,000 to $500,000 this year compared with 2001, Sears said.
The library's operating budget this year is $12 million.
Library employees receive requests from patrons to expand hours, but it is not economically feasible to do so, Sears said.
Only four branches -- Youngstown North, Austintown, Poland and Boardman -- are open on Sundays, one of the busiest library days. One problem with Sunday, Sears said, is library employees are paid time and a half to work that day so there is a concern about the cost effectiveness of staying open on Sundays. "It's a juggling act," he added.
Library officials have not ruled out reducing Sunday hours, but no final decision has been made.
skolnick@vindy.com