Library Budget Would Cut Jobs, Book Purchases

The head of the financially troubled county library system unveiled a budget plan Thursday that would eliminate 18 jobs and reduce by 25% the acquisition of books, magazines and computer software.

County Librarian John M. Adams said the 27-branch system must slash its operating budget by about 8% because of the state’s move to reduce its tax allocation to library districts.

“This is going to mean longer lines, less staff assistance, fewer storytelling hours and fewer book purchases,” Adams said.

Since 1992, the system’s annual budget has shrunk from $27 million to about $22 million, forcing sharp reductions in hours and services. Adams said he hopes to avoid additional cuts in hours this year.

The proposal would set the acquisitions budget at $3 million, down from $6 million for 1993. The loss of 18 jobs through attrition would leave the system with 306 employees, compared with 403 in 1993.

The cuts are proposed in a 1996-97 fiscal plan submitted this month to County Chief Executive Officer Jan Mittermeier. Adams presented the forecast Thursday evening to city and county leaders meeting in Costa Mesa to discuss the results of a study on the library system’s future.

The study, done by the consulting firm David M. Griffith & Associates, projects that the system will have to reduce spending by as much as $5 million by the end of the decade unless new revenue is found.

Further cuts might be avoided, the report says, if the annual assessment paid by residents is increased by $8 or $10.

Residents of cities in the county system now pay about $14 a year for library service. That compares with more than $50 paid annually by those in Newport Beach’s independent library district.

The study also recommends that the system remain intact, rather than be split into districts within the county.

However, Irvine officials said they are still considering operating their two branches independently.