Library Closing Branches, Reducing Hours
Press Release -- August 24th, 2010
On Monday, Massanutten Regional Library announced they will be closing their Bergton and Stanley branches, and reducing hours at the downtown Harrisonburg library.
Hours of operation will also be reduced at our Shenandoah, Elkton, North River, Grottoes and [Harrisonburg] branches. According to A. Wesley Graves, President of the Library’s Board of Trustees, “This was a very difficult decision for the Board to make, but we felt it was a necessary one in order to protect the viability of the library system as a whole.”
In today’s challenging economic climate, the demand for vital library services has significantly increased while funding has decreased. Over the last three years the Massanutten Regional Library system has suffered a reduction of over $250,000 in combined funding from our three supporting local governments and the Commonwealth of Virginia, while at the same time adding 5889 new users to the system in the past year alone. In light of the growing dichotomy between available budget and increased demand, library officials determined that the only responsible course of action would be to streamline and reorganize the existing system in order to continue to meet the needs of our expanding patron base.
The Bergton Library and the William Kibler Community Library in Stanley are the two smallest of our branches, both in terms of visitation and circulation. The Bergton branch and the William Kibler Library together account for just 3% of our total circulation. Library administrators plan to redistribute resources and reallocate funds to improve service and efficiency at the remaining branches. “Our goal is to consolidate our resources, thus strengthening the entire system, and to maintain a thriving public library which is so vital to a healthy and vibrant community,” said Lois W. Jones, Library Director.
The Harrisonburg location is now only open 55 hours a week (closed on Sunday).
Monday-Thursday: 9:30am-8:30pm
Friday 9:30am-5pm
Saturday 9:30am-1pm
Tags: books, library, Rockingham County
I heard this on the news this morning and was very disheartened.
OK so I have to do this, I’m sorry but I must. McDonnell touts budget surplus, Bergton loses library! To everyone who just couldn’t stand the negativity of the last election I bring you the negativity of reality.
AMEN!
Voodoo economics! I don’t believe there is a surplus. He said on his(McDonnell) monthly radio show that he borrowed $200 million from the Va Retirement System and that it was not due for five years and that made it a surplus. Hmmm
Jackson, his answer was that he borrowed $661 from the VRS…I asked the question.
$661.00 total? That seems an odd total.
MILLION, Brooke…writing a thesis…sorry.
So did you totally call him on the discrepancy?
Thank you Mr. Briggman for the correction but, is everything else correct, other than the amount?
Yeah, borrowing does not a surplus make. Yikes!
it was either steal from public servants or raise taxes, one of those options is immoral