THE FUTURE OF THE SIOUX CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM IS IN QUESTION FOLLOWING RECENT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.
LAST SATURDAY AT A BUDGET REVIEW HEARING, LIBRARY DIRECTOR HELEN RIGDON WAS TOLD BY SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HER BUDGET COULD BE REDUCED BY 25 PERCENT, ABOUT ONE MILLION DOLLARS.
THAT CAME AFTER THE LIBRARY BOARD LAST SUMMER REJECTED A COUNCIL SUGGESTION TO LOOK AT DOWNSIZING THE DOWNTOWN MAIN LIBRARY IN FAVOR OF THREE OR FOUR SMALLER NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARIES.
COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE SCHOENHERR SUPPORTED THAT PLAN:
PUBLIB1 OC….WELL RECEIVED. :10
SCHOENHERR SAYS THE DOWNTOWN MAIN LIBRARY IS AN OBSTACLE BECAUSE OF ITS SIZE.
RIGDON SAYS THERE ARE PLENTY OF REASONS THE MAIN LIBRARY IS NEEDED:
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THE LIBRARY ALSO STORES THE SIOUX CITY JOURNAL’S ARCHIVES AS WELL WITH MANY PEOPLE DOING RESEARCH WITH THOSE RESOURCES, .AS WELL AS A LARGE CHILDREN’S BOOK AREA AND HOSTS NUMEROUS PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITES.
RIGDON IS LEAVING THE LIBRARY, WHICH CURRENTLY HAS A FOUR MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET, AS ITS DIRECTOR AT THE END OF APRIL.
SHE REMINDED THE COUNCIL THAT THE MAIN LIBRARY AT 6TH & PIERCE WAS APPROVED BY A PREVIOUS CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE OF THE COST TO OPERATE THE SMALLER NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARIES:
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CITY COUNCIL MEMBER RICK BERTRAND EXPRESSED CONCERNS TO RIGDON ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN LOCATION AND SAYS THE MAIN GOAL IS TO MODERNIZE THE LIBRARY SYSTEM:
PUBLIB4 OC………MORE COST EFFECTIVE. :22
RIGDON SAYS IF THE LIBRARY BUDGET IS GIVEN A LARGE REDUCTION, IT MAY BE DIFFICULT TO HIRE A NEW DIRECTOR.
CONCERNS OVER POSSIBLE CHANGES WERE EXPRESSED IN PUBLIC COMMENTS AT MONDAY’S COUNCIL MEETING.
THE NEXT BUDGET MEETING IS PLANNED FOR MARCH 18TH.
