A Message from the Maplewood Memorial Library Board of Trustees

The Maplewood Library Board of Trustees was informed by the Township Administrator that funding for 2009 would be 10% less than the 2008 allocation. The decrease is, of course, tied to our current economic climate. Regrettably the Trustee Board has been forced to make substantial budget reductions affecting staffing and service. While we believe that a strong library system is even more critical during an economic downturn, the reality for Maplewood is that all departments have been affected.

At its March 18 th meeting the Board of Trustees reluctantly voted to make the following staff changes:

• Three full time staff positions will be eliminated (one through attrition).
• One full time librarian position will be reduced to part time.
• Security guards have been eliminated at both libraries.
• Hourly workers’ times will be reduced.

In addition beginning April 1, the following adjustments to operating hours will go into effect:

• Sunday hours at the Main Building will be eliminated for the remainder of 2009.
• Hilton Branch will be closed on Fridays for the remainder of 2009.
• There will be no weekend hours in July or August.
• Finally in an effort to maintain adequate staffing to provide programs and services for our patrons while meeting budget requirements, the library staff will take a two week unpaid furlough at the end of August/beginning of September. Both library buildings will be closed during that period.

We deeply regret the reduction in service that these changes will incur and hope that when the economy improves, the library once again will be able to offer the Maplewood community the full level of library service to which it has become accustomed.