FAIRFIELD, Conn. The Fairfield Public Library will be open less often and have fewer new items over the next year. The library is cutting back its hours and materials budget to deal with budget cutbacks. The new hours will go into effect July 1.
We will do our utmost to provide quality service when we are open and to get the word out that patrons can access online databases, downloadable resources, and put holds on materials when we are closed, Town Librarian Karen Ronald said in a statement.
The towns Board of Finance had trimmed $27,400 from the librarys funding request earlier this year. But First Selectman Michael Tetreau is making other changes to the towns spending now to make up for the $850,000 the Representative Town Meeting cut from the contingency fund, which covers unaccounted expenses.
We really need that money in the contingency budget, so we have to go out and find places to look for that money so we can replace it, Tetreau said. We tried to do it where wed minimize the impact on our residents. But theres no free lunch. You cant cut $850,000 and have no impact.
The library will cut back its budget by $108,000 for the next year. It will make up for the shortage by closing one of its two locations early twice per week and running limited hours on the weekends.
The library will also spend $32,000 less on materials than it did last year, which means fewer new books, other media and digital subscriptions will be available to Fairfield residents. Ronald said she was not yet sure exactly what materials will be cut back.
Tetreau said Friday that a wide range of departments will experience similar cutbacks by the start of the new fiscal year on July 1. A full list of the service changes will be released next week. A video of Tetreau explaining the situation is now available for streaming at FairTV.
The new hours for the Main Library, at 1080 Old Post Road, are:
Monday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuesday: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Wednesday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Thursday: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday: 1 to 5 p.m.
Sunday (starts Sept. 15): 1 to 5 p.m.
The new hours for the Fairfield Woods Branch Library, at 1147 Fairfield Woods Road, are:
Monday: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Tuesday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Wednesday: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Thursday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Sunday: Closed
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