Wheaton library pleads for no cuts

Warning that additional spending cuts would jeopardize the quality of the Wheaton Public Library, its leaders are urging city council members to leave the funding levels unchanged.

Facing a projected $1.5 million deficit in the 2010-2011 budget, city officials already are talking about the need to reduce spending or increase taxes next year. Among the cost-saving proposals being considered is a plan to reduce the library's allocation of property tax dollars by $300,000.

However, library board members said the facility needs all of the roughly $3.4 million in property tax dollars it now receives.

"We feel that we can manage the current budget," board President Colleen McLaughlin said of the library's $4.2 million spending plan. "But additional budget cuts after all that we've just gone through would be quite devastating. We would be putting the quality of our library severely at risk."

The library implemented a variety of spending cuts after its funding was slashed last year. As a result, the library is closed on Friday evenings, department heads' salaries are frozen and there's less money to purchase books, periodicals and audiovisual materials.

"We have already put into place some very drastic cuts," McLaughlin said.

Donald Armstrong Jr. said he and fellow library board members understand the city council must make "some very tough decisions" and "cuts are going to have to be made."

Still, Armstrong says the library is a busy place, averaging more than 50,000 visitors during a typical month. He added that activity at the library has increased since the economic downturn.

"The library represents a valuable resource for people that wouldn't otherwise have free access to computers and other information that they can use for job searches," Armstrong said.

Library Director Sarah Meisels said her fear is that further cuts could result in the library being open less than its current 69 hours a week.

"To cut down service hours, that would be just a disgrace," Meisels said during a city council meeting this week.

However, council members made no promises to shield the library from the budget ax.

"It's going to be difficult for us, because we have few options right now," said Councilman John Prendiville, adding that income tax and sales tax revenues continue to decline.

"The library means a lot to me personally," Prendiville said. "I think we're going to do everything we can. We just don't know what all our options are just yet."