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Library hours at the Ada, Fosston and McIntosh branches of Lake Agassiz Regional Library (LARL) will be reduced as of March 30. The LARL Finance Committee and Executive Board made the decision after receiving notice that Norman and Polk Counties are unable to meet the 2009 LARL budget request. The shortfalls amount to $2,023 in Norman County and $5,191 in Polk County.
The LARL agreement between 7 counties and 5 cities states that "Should any party approve lower than its just share of the approved budget while other parties exceed the minimum appropriations, library service to that area may be reduced accordingly so as not to restrict the development of library services in the remaining areas.
In Polk County, LARL operates libraries in Climax, Fertile, Fosston and McIntosh. The Crookston Library is also a branch of LARL and funded by the City of Crookston as a separate LARL signatory.
In Norman County, LARL operates one library, in Ada, and four Library LINK Sites in Halstad, Hendrum, Shelly and Twin Valley. A decision was made to close the Ada Library for two weeks this spring, March 30 through April 12, and two weeks in August.
The Climax and Fertile libraries are each open 20 hours a week, the minimum number of hours to qualify for Regional Library Telecommunications Aid (RLTA). To drop below 20 open hours per week would mean loss of this state funding. The branch librarian in Fertile, however, will lose two hours per week of planning time.
The McIntosh Library is open 21 hours per week and, as part of the reduction in hours and service, will close an hour early on Mondays (2 to 3 p.m.) starting March 30 and continuing through the end of the year.
The Fosston Library will lose four hours per week of library assistant time. The fact that Saturdays were determined to be the slowest day of the week, along with AFSCME Union contract wording which designates how many days per week library employees can work, means the library will be closed on Saturdays starting April 4 and continuing through the end of the year.
According to Kathy Fredette, Lake Agassiz Regional Library director, this was a very difficult decision for the Board. "No one wants to cut library hours and services – ever – especially in these tough economic times when libraries are busier and being used more than ever," she said.
Library hours at the Ada, Fosston and McIntosh branches of Lake Agassiz Regional Library (LARL) will be reduced as of March 30. The LARL Finance Committee and Executive Board made the decision after receiving notice that Norman and Polk Counties are unable to meet the 2009 LARL budget request. The shortfalls amount to $2,023 in Norman County and $5,191 in Polk County.
The LARL agreement between 7 counties and 5 cities states that "Should any party approve lower than its just share of the approved budget while other parties exceed the minimum appropriations, library service to that area may be reduced accordingly so as not to restrict the development of library services in the remaining areas.
In Polk County, LARL operates libraries in Climax, Fertile, Fosston and McIntosh. The Crookston Library is also a branch of LARL and funded by the City of Crookston as a separate LARL signatory.
In Norman County, LARL operates one library, in Ada, and four Library LINK Sites in Halstad, Hendrum, Shelly and Twin Valley. A decision was made to close the Ada Library for two weeks this spring, March 30 through April 12, and two weeks in August.
The Climax and Fertile libraries are each open 20 hours a week, the minimum number of hours to qualify for Regional Library Telecommunications Aid (RLTA). To drop below 20 open hours per week would mean loss of this state funding. The branch librarian in Fertile, however, will lose two hours per week of planning time.
The McIntosh Library is open 21 hours per week and, as part of the reduction in hours and service, will close an hour early on Mondays (2 to 3 p.m.) starting March 30 and continuing through the end of the year.
The Fosston Library will lose four hours per week of library assistant time. The fact that Saturdays were determined to be the slowest day of the week, along with AFSCME Union contract wording which designates how many days per week library employees can work, means the library will be closed on Saturdays starting April 4 and continuing through the end of the year.
According to Kathy Fredette, Lake Agassiz Regional Library director, this was a very difficult decision for the Board. "No one wants to cut library hours and services – ever – especially in these tough economic times when libraries are busier and being used more than ever," she said.
