Days, hours to change again at Ledyard libraries

December 22, 2017 11:00 pm • Last Updated: December 24, 2017 6:18 pm

Ledyard — After budget cuts forced reduced hours and days of operation at the Bill and Gales Ferry libraries, the mayor has once again approved changes to the facilities' schedule, this time greatly increasing hours.

Beginning Jan. 2, the move reduces by half the number of days a week each library is closed. Where Gales Ferry previously was closed four days a week, it is now closed just two. Meanwhile the Bill Library, which previously was closed two days a week, is now closed only one.

The new schedule also will yield $116,218 in savings for the town.

"With the new schedule, we can do a better job of serving our patrons and at the same time give the mayor the cuts he was looking for," said John Bolduc, chair of the Library Commission. "It's a win-win for everybody."

Although members of the Library Commission hope that someday, after the state's budget crisis passes, the libraries can be open seven days a week, they praised the new schedule as one that makes more efficient use of staff and is much better for the community.

Increasing library hours is a significant departure from where the town was just a few months ago, when Mayor Fred Allyn announced he would indefinitely close Gales Ferry Library at the end of October. After pushback from the Gales Ferry District however, Allyn elected to allow both libraries to stay open with reduced hours and staff.

He then received a proposal from library Director Gale Bradbury that would save $102,000 and keep both libraries open Monday through Saturday. But Allyn wanted a plan that yielded $115,000 to $120,000 in savings, and decided to come back with the current schedule, which was expected to save about $118,000.

But that schedule did not adequately meet the needs of the community, Bolduc said. Residents frequently were showing up at a library on days when it was closed and it also inefficiently utilized staff.

So after additional back and forth, the library director presented the new schedule, which gets into the range of savings the mayor wanted, and Allyn approved it.

"We had a new take on the library proposal and because it involved a little bit more hours and people, it had to involve additional cuts from their budget, but I was really happy the library director got there and got just over $116,000 reduction," Allyn said.

Increasing operational hours were offset in part by adjusting staff. The number of library assistants was reduced to seven part-timers from 12 previously, and they also will have reduced hours.

c.clark@theday.com