Minneapolis PL Closures Down to the Wire

-- Library Journal, 12/13/2006

Will the Minneapolis Public Library (MPL) close branches in 2007? Despite a budget boost voted Monday by the City Council, the library board faces a dilemma when it meets December 20, since the $1.2 million added is a one-time grant, funding service in 2007, and the board aims to budget on a three-year basis. The council's 7-6 vote capped months of hearings, public discussion, and angst about whether MPL would close any of its 15 branches. The board had earlier voted to close three branches and sell two to balance its budget. An outcry led Mayor R.T. Rybak to pledge some more money to libraries, and for the board to swap debt reduction—including foregone operating improvements—for operating cash.

After the mayor offered $1.1 million, in chunks of $850,000 and $250,000, the Council's Ways and Means agreed to make the smaller chunk permanent. Still, for MPL to maintain 20 hours a week service at the three libraries, it would need $105,000 more. MPL got it, but the council refused to let the library board to swap debt reduction for an operating budget increase. "The library board's policy has been to adopt a budget that's balanced for three years," MPL Director Kit Hadley told LJ. "The previous board made capital decisions that weren't sustainable." Without the debt swap, the library has to revise the 2007 budget and future budgets to subtract a hoped-for $925,000 in annual revenue.