Mobile Public Library looks at cutting hours, bookmobile amid budget cuts (UPDATED)

MOBILE, Alabama -- A cut in operational hours and personnel handling the bookmobile are two possibilities from the recent cut in the Mobile Public Library's budget.

The latest cut came from the city's 2013 budget, which slashed its annual appropriation to the library by 1.1 percent from $6.6 million in 2012 to $6.5 million next year.

The funding drop is more drastic when compared to 2009, when the city library system got $7 million out of the city's budget.

"It's a fairly significant cut over time," Library Director Spencer Watts said. "We only have one bookmobile driver now where we used to have two and he's been sick a lot lately. Whenever he's sick, the bookmobile is grounded. Not everyone can get behind it and drive it."

Aside from cutting back the traveling bookmobile, a 23-year-old vehicle that Watts says "breaks down from time to time," the library is also looking at closing its doors earlier.

For instance, the days off around Christmas might be expanded. So, too, could be the days off around Thanksgiving.

"We're usually closed Thursday and Friday of Thanksgiving but we may close Saturday and Sunday for the same reason," Watts said. "Unfortunately, those can be busy days."

Local history's operational hours have already shortened over the years. The section was open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. six days a week; it's now open 9-5 Monday to Wednesday and 9-3 on Thursday to Saturday.

The library's overall hours also changed from operating 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The library's new hours are from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Thursday while Friday and Saturday remains unchanged.

"It's one of the things impacted by the budget over the years," Watts said.

Despite the shortened hours, the library's usage has declined only slightly. According to statistics provided by the library's spokeswoman, the library system circulated 1.8 million items -- only about 200,000 items off the library's record.

The library's annual budget as of Sept. 30, 2012, was $8.9 million, which is down from $9.1 million in 2006.

The city's appropriation represents about three-fourths of what the library spends each year. The county provides about $1.2 million -- Watts said that figure remains relatively unchanged -- and the state's annual aid was $304,632 last year. Fines and fees consisted of $703,265 in 2012.

The library spends about $6 million each year on personnel with $4.5 million coming from the salaries of slightly more than 100 employees.

Council President Reggie Copeland said he hopes that, if anything, the city can add revenue back into the library during 2013.

"We'll see how the economy is going and look at some of that reserve money we pushed aside and get the mayor to make a budget amendment," Copeland said. "(The library) is one of the finest tools wehave in Mobile. Since we renovated (the library) on Government Street, a lot of busy people use it."

Watts said he's thankful the cut wasn't as big as he originally feared. For instance, contractual organizations with the city had their budgets cut by 10 percent in the 2013 budget that was approved earlier this month.

"Due to the downturn in the economy - which resulted is a loss for the city - all city departments, including the library were cut by 10 percent," Barbara Drummond, a spokeswoman with Mayor Sam Jones said. "The library funding is not a performance contract. This is a quasi-city department."

This story was updated at 9:53 a.m. on Oct. 19, 2012, to correct the library's hours of operations.
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