Mammoth library cuts proposed

The Felton and Boulder Creek libraries would be open for as few as eight hours a week and Scotts Valley only 24 hours under a revised budget proposal to be reviewed by the Santa Cruz County library board Monday, June 1.
Told three weeks ago to keep all branch libraries open, Susan Elgin, acting library director, has proposed severe systemwide cuts to balance the 2009-10 budget in an era of reduced sales and property tax revenues and threatened “borrowing” by the state.
“The 2009-10 budget is a budget of cuts,” Elgin said in a report, “cuts to supplies, cuts to services, cuts to programs, cuts to the book and media budget, cuts to staff, cuts to branch hours.”
She proposes two possible scenarios, one to cut $1.3 million from the $12.6 million budget and one to cut $1.6 million, because final revenue estimates are not yet available.
Under both plans, each of the system’s four largest branches would supervise and share staff members with nearby smaller branches. Scotts Valley would supervise the Felton and Boulder Creek branches.
The most severe scenario would cut Scotts Valley from 48 weekly hours to 24 and close the library on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Felton would go from 37 weekly hours to four hours each on Tuesday and Thursday, and Boulder Creek would go from 32 weekly hours to four hours each on Monday and Wednesday.
In the less far-reaching plan, Scotts Valley would be open 32 hours a weekly and close only on Sunday. Boulder Creek would be open 12 hours, with four open hours each on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Felton’s branch would have the same schedule as in the worst-case scenario.
“The staff will do as much as possible, but in both (scenarios), the library system will be offering substandard library service to the community,” Elgin said.
At least in the beginning, all programs will be suspended, including story times, literacy programs, classes, summer reading programs, class visits and events.
The severe scenario would require laying off 23 staff members, cutting three other workers to half-time and eliminating four unfilled positions. The other plan would require laying off 15, cutting three to half-time and eliminating six unfilled positions.
Elgin earlier had presented plans to close smaller branches and concentrate service in the larger ones, but board members, faced with community opposition, voted on May 11 to take that idea off the table.
At a glance
WHAT: Library Joint Powers Authority board meeting
WHEN: 7:15 p.m. Monday, June 1
WHERE: County supervisors’ chambers, 701 Ocean St., Room 525, in Santa Cruz