News Update

POSTED: Friday, Nov. 27, 2009

Bellingham libraries to cut hours, reduce senior services

BELLINGHAM - Beginning in January, the Bellingham Public Library will cut hours at its Barkley and Fairhaven branches as well as monthly Outreach Services to 210 senior citizens because of another expected $75,000 reduction in its budget for next year.

The latest cutbacks are part of a total of $546,385 that have been cut from the library system's 2009 and 2010 budgets, which are paid for through the city of Bellingham's general fund.

The city's draft 2010 budget is 13 percent below this year's $216.1 million figure because of sharply lower revenue from sales taxes, business and occupation taxes, real estate taxes and investment interest income.

With fewer dollars, library officials said they have cut nine staff positions, 28 hours at library branches and the materials budget by 29 percent.

The materials budget pays for things such as books and DVDs.

"Everybody will feel the pinch," said Christine Perkins, assistant director for Bellingham Public Library.

"We're just asking for some patience and for some understanding," she added. "We just don't have the resources to keep up."

That comes at a time when demand for services is high, with a record 1.6 million items expected to be checked out this year, according to Library Director Pamela Kiesner.

The latest reductions affected an employee in the Outreach Services program, who was laid off from that position. She was able to shift into an entry-level library page position with a cut in pay, according to Perkins.

Library users also can expect to wait longer for items they've put on hold, with Perkins saying employees will no longer pull materials on Mondays - partly to give pages time to shelve thousands of items returned over the weekend.

Each morning nearly 1,000 items show up on the library system's Requests Pull list, which takes eight hours a day to complete.

The cut that Perkins said has been "particularly heartbreaking" was the one made to Outreach Services. Under the program, library materials are brought to Bellingham seniors who can't get to the library because of age, long-term disability or illness.

The program used to serve seniors in 30 care facilities such as nursing homes or assisted living communities. The number of facilities has been scaled back again, with 12 facilities notified that December will mark the last month of service under the program.

That leaves 14 facilities in the program.

BELLINGHAM LIBRARY CUTBACKS

The latest round of budget cuts for the Bellingham Public Library system will translate into fewer service hours at the Barkley and Fairhaven branches and fewer services for seniors, among other impacts.

New hours go into effect Jan. 5, which is also the day the Fairhaven library will re-open after being closed seven months for renovations:

Barkley - Open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Fairhaven - Open 2 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.

SENIORS HELP

Senior citizens who are no longer eligible to receive materials through the library's Outreach Services program could qualify for free services through the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library.

The program mails large-type books and audiobooks to people's homes.

Learn more by calling the toll-free number at (800) 542-0866, or going online to wtbbl.org.

Bellingham Public Library workers also are compiling a list of homebound seniors who could get library materials through Home Service.

Under this program, library employees will select 10 items a month for qualified patrons, who are responsible for sending someone to pick up and return the materials to the library.

BRING YOUR CARD

Beginning in January, patrons must bring their library card to check out materials or use the library's computers.

Currently, staff can look through the personal information that patrons have provided. But with staffing stretched thin, library officials want people to use their cards to check out items themselves via a self-checkout system, which would help reduce wait time for people who otherwise need help from library employees.