Miami-Dade’s Main Library Downsizing Its Space as Part of Budget Cuts

From the Miami Herald:

As part of its budget belt-tightening, Miami-Dade County will downsize the space used by the Main Library’s back offices, shrinking the facility’s footprint to save money on rent.
The library system’s downtown Miami headquarters would be reduced in size by half, keeping the two floors currently open to the public and eliminating a third floor and a basement used for administration and storage.
Mayor Carlos Gimenez’s office expects the change to have little effect on library users. But the planned move has stirred controversy among library supporters who fear historical documents and special collections long held at the county’s largest library may be lost in the shuffle.
Raymond Santiago, the library department director, said Monday that while librarians are “weeding” some materials out of the Main Library, they have not been instructed to do away with any collections.
“Nothing is being thrown away,” he said, calling the notion “ludicrous.” “We’re not idiots.”

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Past Miami-Dade Public Library Coverage

• One More Off the List: Miami-Dade Library Near Aventura Saved from Closure, Mayor Announces
• Mayor Gimenez Gets Earful at Meeting with Residents (August 9)
• Group Works To Save Miami-Dade Public Libraries From Closures, Layoff (August 6) 
• Two More Miami-Dade County Libraries Could Be Spared From Closure (August 2)
• Six of 22 Miami-Dade Libraries Could Be Saved From Chopping Block (July 30)
• 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)

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