Friday, Sep. 03, 2010

Merced County budget forces cuts to regional libraries

There will be no layoffs or closings, just reduced hours of operations

The Merced County Board of Supervisors voted last month to reduce library hours in each of its regional branches.

Los Banos branch will trim eight hours and 30 minutes per week, effective Sept. 6. Saturday hours will be cut in half, while Tuesday through Friday's hours will vary from 30 to 90 fewer minutes each day.

The estimated savings from reduced staffing hours is $97,407.

Jacque Meriam, the Merced County librarian, said she was satisfied with the outcome.

"My goal was to keep everybody working," Meriam said.

Along with holding onto all 51 of the full-time employees and variable staff, Meriam said she was able to refrain from closing any of the branches entirely.

Meriam said the variable staff, the bulk of the staff, will be allowed to work between 32 and 40 hours.

The Merced County library system was forced to cut $300,000 from its budget. Aside from hours of operation, Meriam cut from the book budget, operational costs and all nonmandatory travel. Meriam said the library will still maintain its relationship with the literacy program and WorkNet.

Library assistant Meri Osegueda, who is filling in as librarian for the Los Banos branch, said patrons have come in already aware of the reduction in hours.

"They're disappointed about the hours," Osegueda said. "A lot of people who we get here, they stay here throughout the day."

Osegueda said patrons are in the library throughout the day looking for jobs online and in the newspaper, which are provided without charge.

Patrons of the library, on Wednesday morning, showed varying degrees of concern about the reduction in library hours.

Jim Lippi, a 66-year-old retiree, said the change in hours will have little affect on him and other senior citizens, because their schedules tend to be more flexible.

"They wouldn't really affect most anybody in my category, because we come at different times," Lippi said.

As long as the library doesn't close entirely, Lippi said, he wouldn't be affected by the reduction.

Rosa Isela Lopez, age 56, said it's a shame for the community, and the employees of the library that hours will be reduced.

"It just makes me sad, because there are so many people that don't have Internet access that depend on this place," Lopez said.

Lopez said that when she first moved from Santa Cruz County to Los Banos, she was not immediately able to get Internet access, because of where she lived. So, she said, she would use the library to fill that void.

"There's a lot of people, you know with the economy and everything, that can't afford to spend on one more thing, and at least you get one hour of Internet access (in the library)," Lopez said.

The Atwater, Livingston, Gustine, Hilmar and Merced main branches will also see reduced hours. The Hilmar branch's hours will be reduced by 12, while the others will see eight fewer hours.

Enterprise staff writer Thaddeus Miller can be reached at 388-6562 or by e-mail at tmiller@

losbanosenterprise.com.