Providence Public Library, City Agree on Funding, but Services Will Decline
Norman Oder -- Library Journal, 6/12/2007
Longstanding tensions between the private, nonprofit Providence Public Library (PPL), RI, and the city that funds a significant share of its budget have been resolved, with the city agreeing to pay a bit more to keep all nine branches open, but not enough to stave off a decline in service. The library and the city had jousted over whether the city could take over the branches, and whether the library would allow more city representatives on its board. According to a Memorandum of Agreement announced by Mayor David Cicilline, the city would increase its annual contribution by ten percent, to $3.3 million. Also, instead of adding public representation on the Library Board, a new advisory committee will address common issues collaboratively. "Not only does this agreement assure the continuation of library services in the City of Providence, it also creates a framework for the library to grow and evolve through collaboration," Cicilline said. Among the possibilities include co-location of library and city facilities.
The city also agreed to commit $400,000 to fully restore branch services in the Washington Park neighborhood and to jumpstart fundraising efforts. The library and the city had never had a written contract, but increasing costs and concerns about library management have led to tensions. The library and city last year agreed on a one-year extension of the previous arrangement; as a resolution awaited, PPL suggested that the city could save money by running the branches itself and consolidating some back office and maintenance—a challenge the city apparently did not wish to embrace. This year, it cost about $4.5 million to run the branches; the city contributed $3 million, the state provided $750,000, and PPL agreed to pay the rest. (The total budget, including the central library, is about $8.5 million.) To run the branch libraries in FY 08, including full service at Washington Park, PPL estimated it would cost $5 million.
A committee had suggested that, if the city ran the branches under the proposed budget, it could cut hours, consolidate branches, or reduce core services. Library spokeswoman Tonia Mason said the agreement will involve some service reduction, some cuts in hours, and some "quality of service issues. That was the point of having a contract, so the city could understand the level of service they were buying." Given that some branches will be staffed by only two people, "there may be times when library branches may have to be unexpectedly closed," if a staffer comes in sick. Perhaps ten staffers may be laid off. "The city has accepted the fact that it needed to put more into the system," Mason said. "We all recognize the fact that the city has some challenges, and...that we need to work together to resize and restructure the system."
