Shortened library hours probably here to stay

Any hopes of county libraries reinstating hours and days lost to budget cuts in 2007 now seem doomed.

County commissioners are not expected to change the status quo when they meet Tuesday to discuss an informational item to be brought forward by Jean Rags who, as Health and Human Services Director, also heads up library services.

That report will show it would not be cost-effective to take money out of the $4 million available in the state aid to library fund, especially when the state has threatened to reduce that funding in 2011-12, County Commissioner Dave Russell said.

This latest development is an abrupt turnaround from December, when commissioners had been talking more optimistically about reinstating library hours.
At that time, Russell said commissioners were supposed to have voted on reinstating hours and days in July 2009, during the budget discussions. But amidst the commotion caused by the departure of Library Services Director Barbara Shiflett and the subsequent budget process, Russell said the directive to expand hours got lost in the shuffle.

"It happens when you have a change in the upper levels (of management)," Russell told Hernando Today in December. "We'll pick up the ball (now) and run with it."

But after learning from Budget Director George Zoettlein at a workshop Jan. 8 that the county was facing a $10.7 million deficit, Russell said any thought of raiding the state aid to library fund now seems remote.
Especially since commissioners are considering taking $1.5 million from that fund to reduce that deficit.
Right now, patrons should be glad libraries are open at all, let alone expanding hours and days, Russell said.

"As the budget has evolved it appears it just won't be practical to extend the hours," Russell said. "There are unanticipated shortfalls in revenue and we're having to cut back and do the best we can."
By law, the county is authorized to dip into the library fund to prop up the sagging general fund, Russell said.

County commissioners in December considered using about $200,000 of surplus state aid to library money to hire new part-time personnel to staff the four main branches and reinstate six-day-a-week operations, including one additional morning and evening.
They asked Rags to research the issue and report back in January.

In 2007, the main library in Brooksville and the West Hernando branch off State Road 50 were forced to close Saturdays and East Hernando branch and the Spring Hill branch on Mondays because of the budget crunch.
Also, hours were reduced at all four branches.

Back then, commissioners were unaware that the county was sitting on millions in surplus library funds until it was reported by Hernando Today in June 2009.

Rags said Tuesday that budget cuts prohibited hiring additional staff. She said she is scheduled to give her library report during Tuesday's meeting which begins at 9 a.m. at the Hernando County Government Center, 20 North Main St. in downtown Brooksville.