By Sue Ellen Woodcock
The library director has filed a waiver with the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners to be certified even though the budget is short and the library is not open 50 hours a week.
Library Director Diane Wallace told the Winthrop Library Commissioners that the budget is short about $35,000 and the library is currently open 41 hours a week. She will appear before the state board in January. The current budget is $490,000.
“It’s not an uncommon thing, but it is unfortunate,†Wallace said at a recent meeting.
• Starting in February fees and fines from the library can be paid online or in the library with a debit or credit card. No staff will be handling any cash. Payments for fines and fees at other libraries in the NOBLE network can also be paid in this manner.
• The year to date circulation numbers for the library are down a little bit from last year. In fiscal year 2016, which began July 1, there were 24,560 items circulated as of October, down from the same period in fiscal year 2015 when there were 24,713 items circulated. According to the people counter in the library, the number of visitors was also down slightly from fiscal year 2016 and fiscal year 2015.
• The trustees discussed future capital plans. A top priority is the replacement of the carpeting in the library. According to Wallace, the carpet “is killing vacuum cleaners†and patched with duct tape. Another area of concern is the windows. Chairman Ron Bergman noted that they leak and can’t be closed properly. Bergman said the existing building is not in great shape.
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A note from former Library Director, Peter Struzziero.
The data in this article is inaccurate. It should be updated or removed. Library fines may still be paid in cash, 41 hours open meets an 80% compliance mark for the open hour requirement (which is acceptable), and circulating 153 items less in only 1/2 a year is not a decrease.
Also the first sentence is inaccurate, it should read:
"The library director has filed a waiver with the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners to qualify for State Aid funding because it meets only 4 of the 5 requirements. The one requirement it does not yet meet is the Municipal Appropriation Requirement (MAR)."
An increase of only $35,000 to the Library Appropriation would relieve this issue completely.