Library board discusses spending options

MARQUETTE — The Peter White Public Library’s Board of Trustees held a special work session today to discuss more changes to help cut spending.

Last March the board approved spending and operation cuts after Big Box stores appealed their property tax assessments to the Michigan Tax Tribunal. The board held today’s meeting to go over different short–term and long–term options that they have as they move forward.

Library Director Pam Christensen says, “One of the things we are working very hard at is improving our revenue strain. We also would like to make cuts that aren’t so apparent to the people who use the library. I guess this meeting really helped the board decide what are their priorities and how they’d like to address those cuts.”

The board decided in March that the library would close on Sundays, saving about $30,000 – but the change hasn’t been widely accepted by the public. Today the board discussed closing the library on a different day, like Fridays, when there is less public use and not as many events. The board and library directors say that, if implemented, this change would not affect the after–hours programs that take place on Friday nights. Decisions about future cuts and actions will happen at their next meeting in August.