CLOSED: Library To Shut Doors Saturdays And Sundays Starting July 1

There will be no taking the kids to the Children's Library on Saturdays, no reading the selection of newspapers and magazines in the air-conditioning on Sundays, and no deep discounts in free museum passes for summer trips.

As of July 1, the will be closed both Saturdays and Sundays.

When the proposed town budget for fiscal 2011-2012 failed at its first referendum vote, cuts were made. Specifically, .

Because of those cuts, the library has been forced to reduce its operations by 14 hours, close both weekend days, cut children's services, cut the number of museum passes available to residents, and cut database services such as extra newspapers and magazines and online paid services such as Ancestry.com.

In addition, part-time workers are losing hours and full-time staff are taking a reduction in pay, said .

"No one is happy about these cuts," she said. "We were thinking maybe the Board of Finance would cut $10,000 from our capital budget for bathroom renovations - not this."

For residents who wish to make it known that they are not happy about the cuts and want them reinstated, there will be an impact statement they can sign at the library to show their disapproval with the budget cuts.

"It is not a petition," said Breen. "It is a letter of impact that we will present to the Board of Finance. Hopefully these cuts and reduced hours are temporary."

When the $100,000 was cut from their budget which begins July 1, many ideas on how to absorb the impact were tossed around by the library board and staff, said Breen. The $100K is 15 percent of their overall budget, she noted.

Ideas included closing the library for the two summer months, she said.

"What we came up with is the most equitable to the community and staff," said Breen. "No one group is shouldering all of the cuts."

Another fall-out from the $100K cut by the finance board is the loss of the library's national ranking as one of the top 10 libraries in the country.

"It's gone for this year," said Breen. "We would not be open enough hours to qualify."

Breen said her staff and board as well as the residents of town have rallied in the past to fight against cuts to the facility.  A year or so ago when the state was contemplating cutting funds to libraries, the HCH Library was able to produce 200 letters pleading for no cuts.

"And that was for $19,000," said Breen.

Effective July 1st, library hours of operation are reduced by 14 hours per week due to budget cuts:

Monday         12 - 8pm
Tuesday        10am - 5pm
Wednesday   10am - 8pm
Thursday       12 - 8pm
Friday            9am - 5pm
Saturday        Closed
Sunday          Closed