Norwood Library still in trouble financially

To the Editor:

For those who may be interested here is an update on the Norwood Library’s financial situation. Recently an emergency meeting was held by the Norwood Library Board to discuss how we would pay our November bills because there wasn’t enough money in our checking account to do this. We decided finally that we would sell enough stock to get us through December but we would close the library at the end of the month. We needed to save the value of the stock we had left to maintain the library building until the November 2011 general election. At this time the voters could decide whether or not to support our library through their taxes.

Even though we voted to do this, we weren’t comfortable with our decision. More thought was given to our discussion and we decided to meet again, this time with our consultant from NCLS, Emily Owen, to review any and all alternatives.

The alternative we chose is to keep the library open the same number of hours each week with one employee, the director, who would change the schedule to three days a week instead of five. Money will be saved on salaries and energy costs. We sincerely regret having to lay off two excellent employees but it was necessary if we were to stay open for our many loyal patrons. New purchases will be limited to absolute necessities and our fund raising will be ongoing. The director will be seeking volunteers to help her in the daily business of running our library until our situation improves. These changes do not guarantee that the library will stay open until the voters in our library district decide whether or not they choose to support us with their tax dollars, but we will do the best job we know how.

Originally we only planned to be on the ballot in the general election in November 2011, but we will also attach a referendum to the NNCS school budget vote which comes six months earlier. Hopefully the voters will be generous in at least one of these. In the meantime the Library Board and the Friends of the Library will be raising funds through whatever means possible, so we are able to provide our community with an open library and all it offers.

A sincere thank-you to all our supporters.

The Norwood Library Board of Trustees