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| Library loses a day |
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| Written by John Saiz | Patterson Irrigator | |
| Wednesday, 25 June 2008 | |
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The Patterson Branch Library will be closed Thursdays, starting next week.  Starting next week, the Patterson Branch Library will be closed Thursdays. At left, part-time librarian Denise Perry places books on the shelves. Photo by Elias Funez/Patterson Irrigator Patterson City Council considered spending $34,715 to cover much of the shortfall and keep the library open six days a week, but it voted against doing so, 3-2, on June 17. “I can’t see paying the county’s bills,” Councilwoman Annette Smith said. Councilmen Sam Cuellar and Dominic Farinha voted in favor of spending city dollars to keep the library open Thursdays. Cuellar suggested figuring out the cost to keep the doors open for half a year. “Maybe in that time, there’ll be an improvement,” he said. Smith, Councilwoman Dejeune Shelton and Mayor Becky Campo voted to let the library close Thursdays. “The county is tightening its belt,” Smith said. “Shouldn’t we also look at tightening our belts?” A popular feature of the Patterson library, especially for teenagers, is free Internet access. Shelton suggested that young people can use computers at school libraries or the Patterson Teen Center, 118 N. Second St., if they need to get online while the library is closed. Stanislaus County Library’s budget dropped from $10.9 million in 2007-08 to $9.4 million for 2008-09, following a 4-0 vote by Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors on May 20. The majority of the cut is the result of falling sales tax revenue, said Jim DeMartini, the West Side’s representative on the board. A 1/8-percent countywide sales tax makes up 85 percent of the county library system’s budget. Revenue from that tax is estimated to be down 12 percent this year, from $9.1 million in fiscal 2007-08 to $8 million. “No one expected sales tax to go down,” DeMartini said. “I don’t remember ever seeing sales tax go down.” The libraries have also seen a decrease in money coming from the state and local jurisdictions. State contributions fell roughly 66 percent, from $438,285 to $146,980. Funding from local jurisdictions fell to $407,539, a decrease of $53,972. The reduced budget also means less staffing and fewer new book purchases. Three full-time positions and 74 part-time positions will be eliminated throughout the county’s 13 libraries. The budget for new materials has also been reduced by 56 percent. “We’re not going to be able to purchase any new books,” said Susan Lilly, public information officer for the county library. Initially, library staff suggested that the Patterson Branch also close Fridays. The other 12 libraries in the county would have also closed more days under the original proposal. To avoid that, library staff decided to cut three full-time positions, two more than initially planned, and slash the materials budget more steeply than the proposed 33 percent. The people whose positions were eliminated were shifted to jobs in other county departments, Lilly said. If sales tax revenue returns to previous levels, Lilly said, she hopes the libraries will return to their old schedules. To reach John Saiz at the Irrigator, call 892-6187 or e-mail him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
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