Library Patrons to Director: Increase Hours

Dozens filled the meeting room of Oakton Library on Tuesday to give their feedback on Fairfax County Public Libraries to the director himself.

Though the library patrons brought up several topics, there was one recurring theme of the evening: library hours.

To save money, FCPL has cut its hours from 65 hours for regional libraries in 2008 to 54 hours each week. Community branch hours have been cut from 59 weekly in 2008 to 47 hours.

To put hours back to what they were in 2009, it would cost $2.6 million, said Sam Clay, director of FCPL.

According to Mary Mulrenan, FCPL communications director, the library's total adopted budget in fiscal year 2008 was $33,536,725.  The total adopted budget for fiscal year 2012 is $26,035,911.

The Fairfax County budget for fiscal year 2012 does not call for more cuts to FCPL, but Tuesday's crowd said the status quo is not enough.

"You all are noticing it. The holds lists are longer and we're finding our libraries are busier per hour than they were last year," Clay said. "That's telling us the loss in hours is being felt."

Clay agreed and told the crowd to make sure they voice their strong opinions to their representative on the Board of Supervisors.

Clay embarked on a series of "Discussions with the Director" to solicit opinions from citizens on how to make the library more useful to them.

He said above all other topics, library hours dominated conversation at all three meetings. At the Oakton gathering, patrons also expressed a desire to:

• keep the Virginia Room in the City of Fairfax Regional Library maintained and to reinstate a knowledgeable historian to run it
• if hours are increased, stay open longer on the weekends (Community branches are not open Sundays.)
• find other sources of revenue (sell paraphernalia and other items, open a cafe, etc.)
• update technology for better remote library services (online catalogue searches, digital rentals)
• work with other departments of the Fairfax County government on programs and share the costs
• better engage younger patrons

"Now that we've done these discussions at the library, the idea is to go out and talk to Girl Scout groups and senior groups to see how the library can better serve their needs," Clay said. "It's to be sure that this library system reflects what you, the owner, wants."