Two More Miami-Dade County Libraries Could Be Spared From Closure

Note: Today’s news about the possibility of two more Miami-Dade libraries not having close are IN ADDITION to the six branches we mentioned on Tuesday that also might be saved. This means that as of today 14 of the originally proposed 22 libraries we be closed.
From the Miami Herald:

The North Shore and Virrick Park branches, in Miami Beach and Coconut Grove, respectively, would remain open under the latest version of the plan, which administrators have been tweaking over the past few weeks to bring down the number of libraries slated for closure beginning Oct. 1.
Saving those two branches would reduce the number of libraries on the hit list to 14 from 22. Mayor Carlos Gimenez had warned last month that, under the worst-case budget scenario, nearly half of the county’s 49 libraries would be shut down.
In a memo Friday, he informed commissioners that the county will keep a minimum of 35 libraries open.
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The county has met with the Miami-Dade public-school system and plans to sit down with several other community organizations, including the Children’s Trust, the United Way and the Early Learning Coalition, to find ways to partner with the groups and align their efforts to serve children through libraries.
“It is very clear to me that our libraries are safe havens for many children during after-school hours and I have directed my staff to look for solutions that keep libraries open during these critical time frames,” Gimenez wrote.

Read the Complete Article

Previous Coverage

Video: NBC Miami Airs Report on Proposed Miami-Dade County Public Library Closings (July 24, 2013)
Miami-Dade Public Library Closure Plan Would Hit Poorer Areas Harder (July 17, 2013
Miami Dade Library To Close Nearly Half its Branches (via LJ)
Miami-Dade County Releases List of 22 Public Libraries on Chopping Block, 251 Layoffs Also Possible (July 16, 2013)
 
 

Filed under: Associations and Organizations, Libraries, News, Public Libraries