By Clare S. Richie
In January, the Fulton County Board of Commissioners passed a budget that included a $6 million (19 percent) cut to the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System (AFPLS) budget.
Starting in February, overall library hours were cut by more than a third and more than 100 positions were eliminated. Every branch (except Central Library and Auburn Avenue Research Library) is closed Fridays, and 20 of the 31 are closed at least two days per week.
In June, we asked several branch staff, the AFPLS Interim Director Anne Haimes, AFPLS Board Chair Stephanie Moody, and neighbors about the impact of the hours and staff cuts.
“Certainly the worst impact is on patron access,” Moody responded. Circulation for April 2014 is down dramatically compared to last year due to the new reduced hours. Staffing levels are at an all-time low, which is hurting patron services and staff morale. When the Buckhead Branch opened 25 years ago, it had 24 staff, in January it had 13, and is now down to six. Programs were cut or are offered on different days. The East Atlanta Branch “previously hosted three story-times per week and now only hosts one.”
At the Ponce de Leon Branch, staff has been bombarded with questions about how they can help and who to contact. “They can’t keep the new hours straight; they keep coming when we’re closed. For a majority of our patrons, coming to the library isn’t just about picking out some books, or checking their email. It’s part of their routine. They come on the same day, every week. They chat with the staff. They run into friends and neighbors. They attend programs. The library is a part of the community.”
It’s a situation, Moody said, the board and the Fulton Commission are trying to rectify. In fact, the Commission is reportedly considering adding back some Friday hours by pulling them from other days.
“The biggest thing people can do is use the library,” urged Haimes. “Residents should remind the Commission that not only should we increase our [branch] hours, we should increase our [AFPLS] materials budget to at least 2012 levels,” advised Moody.
Use the Library This Summer
Check afpls.org and your local branch for details.
All Ages
On-line holds: Request book (using library card) at afpls.org to pick up at any branch
Ecampus: SAT/ACT prep, GED prep, ESL lessons, continuing education, and more
Adults
Adult Book Club – 2nd Tuesday each month – Ponce De Leon
Health & wellness workshops (Breast Cancer, Diabetes prevention) – Mechanicsville
Children & Youth Summer Reading Program
Kuumba Family Storytellers
July 2, 11 a.m. Bowen/Bankhead – Gloria Elder
July 3, 10 a.m. Adams Park – Josie Bailey
July 3, 10:30 a.m. Buckhead – Ernestine Brown
July 9, 10 a.m. Ponce De Leon – LaDoris Bias-Davis
July 9, 11 a.m. West End – Cynthia Watts
Crafty Thursdays 3 p.m., elementary school age – Ponce De Leon
Ages 12-18, Limit 20, Registration Required
Improv 101 for Teens
East Atlanta: Tuesday, July 8, 2 p.m.
Buckhead: Thursday, July 10, 1 p.m.
Filmmaking 101 for Teens
Buckhead: Thursday, July 24, 2:30 p.m.
Songwriting 101 for Teens
Adams Park: Thursday, July 17, 2 p.m.
Buckhead: Thursday, July 31, 1:30 p.m.
East Atlanta: Tuesday, July 15, 2 p.m.
Drawing 101 for Teens
Buckhead: Monday, July 28, 1 p.m
Painting 101 for Teens
East Atlanta: Monday, July 7, 2 p.m.
I truly love Libraries. Visiting the Martin Luther King Branch is my favorite time for me and my kids. I love this branch and staff. The children’s area is a gem.
I truly love Libraries. Visiting the Martin Luther King Branch is my favorite time for me and my kids. I love this branch and staff. The children’s area is a gem.