NEW CASTLE Saturday hours return to library

The state Legislature has not finalized library funding.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Saturday hours are back at New Castle Public Library.
But money to fund other library programs and add hours cut earlier this summer because of the state's budget woes remains in limbo.
"Nothing has really changed. [Opening Saturdays] is just an effort on our part to provide service on another day for families and students that are unable to use us Monday through Friday," said Susan Morgan, library director of circulation and public relations.
In July, the library cut evening hours Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and closed Saturdays because of an expected 50-percent cut in state library funding.
But the start of the school year has caused library officials to reconsider Saturday hours, Morgan said.
"It put a real hardship on working families and students who participate in extracurricular activities after school. Without us being open in the evenings, that library time was taken away from them," she said.
Reaction
Mary Ann Kushner was happy to hear about the return of Saturday hours. The New Castle mother of four expected to be there this week.
"It's just a shame they didn't do it earlier in the school year" Kushner said. "The Saturday time was really excellent for schoolwork. Without evening hours, it's been hard to run over there by 5 p.m."
Earlier this year, Pennsylvania lawmakers passed a budget that cut state library funding in half from $75 million to $36.7 million. Gov. Ed Rendell, however, vetoed the budget because it didn't contain enough funding for education initiatives he wanted.
The Legislature continues to haggle over the budget.
While libraries get money from the counties and local municipalities, state funding makes up a big part of their budgets.
New Castle Public Library was especially hard hit because it is a district center that provides training and materials for libraries in Lawrence, Mercer, Butler and Armstrong counties, said Susan Walls, head librarian at the New Castle Public Library.
The cut in district center funding went from $479,000 last year to $239,000 this year, Walls said.
Staff cuts
In addition to reducing hours, the funding drop also has meant staff cuts.
Two vacant positions were eliminated, one part-time worker was laid off and hours were reduced for two full-time employees, Walls said.
Until more is known about the state funding, many programs have been put on hold, including the Beatnik Cafe, a monthly event where people can perform.
State Rep. Chris Sainato of New Castle, D-9th said the state House passed a bill last week that would restore funding to libraries at 75 percent of what it had been the previous years, but it isn't expected to pass the state Senate.
Sainato said the plan was funded by $450 million in federal funding that came from President Bush's tax cuts earlier this year.
State senators, however, have indicated they won't vote for the plan because it also calls for increases in the state income tax to pay for new education programs, Sainato said.
Sainato, a nine-year state legislator, said he's unsure when the state will pass its final budget and how much of a cut will go to libraries. "This is just an unusual time," he said.
Meanwhile, Walls said the library will continue to stretch its staff and look for other ways to save money while serving patrons.
"We remain optimistic, despite the fact that we've heard absolutely nothing [about state funding]. I think we should continue to encourage the public to write letters to our governor and legislators," she said.