Library District Announces Feb. 1 Schedule Changes

VANCOUVER, Wash. – Fort Vancouver Regional Library District will change the weekly schedule of open hours at six libraries effective Feb. 1. The changes are largely due to staff lay-offs necessitated by significantly reduced tax revenues and rising costs, but include other minor schedule adjustments as well.

The affected libraries, their schedule changes, and new schedules:
Library and current schedule Schedule change New schedule (begins Feb. 1)
Goldendale Community Library
M Tu W 12-8; Th F Sa 10-6 Closed Mondays; hours standardized Tu W Th F Sa 10-6:30
La Center Community Library
M W F 10-6; Tu Th 11-8 Tuesday and Thursday hours shifted M Tu W F 10-6; Th 10-8
Stevenson Community Library
M 9-5; Tu W 9-8; Th F Sa 9-5 Closed Mondays Tu W 9-8; Th F Sa 9-5
Three Creeks Community Library
M Tu W Th 10-8; F Sa 10-6 Closed Mondays Tu W Th 10-8; F Sa 10-6
Vancouver Community Library (main)
M Tu W Th 10-9; F Sa 10-6; Su 12-8 Closed Sundays; M-Th shifted 1 hr earlier M Tu W Th 9-8; F Sa 10-6
Vancouver Mall Community Library
M Tu W Th F Sa 10-9; Su 11-6 Closing earlier Th – Sa; opening later Su M Tu W 10-9; Th F Sa 10-6;
Su 12-6

Schedules at the seven other FVRL libraries remain the same. Both the Battle Ground and Cascade Park library schedules will be reduced by one day a week when their new buildings open, respectively in May 2009 and late 2009/early 2010.

A complete locations and hours list showing both the current and Feb. 1 schedules is available at http://www.fvrl.org/aboutus/branch_list.cfm.

The district previously announced staff reductions effective Jan. 31, including reduced hours for 13 positions and elimination of 24 positions across the district, out of a total current workforce of 246.
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Library schedule changes – 2

“We sincerely regret being forced to reduce library service to the communities we serve,” said Bruce Ziegman, FVRL executive director. “Unfortunately, our economic situation left us no alternative other than to reduce payroll, in addition to making deep cuts in other budget areas. With a reduction of nearly 10 percent in our workforce, we don’t have the staff needed to keep our libraries open the same number of hours.”

Total number of district-wide weekly open hours with the Feb. 1 changes is 589.5, a 6.5 percent reduction from the current 631 open hours for library buildings.