Miami-Dade Reduces Number of Libraries on Chopping Block to Four But Major Layoffs Still Expected

From the Miami Herald:

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez, who last month warned that 22 of the county’s 49 public libraries could be shut down this fall due to deep budget cuts, announced Thursday that his administration now expects to shutter only four.
[Our emphasis]  The dramatic reduction, while welcome news to library supporters who have campaigned to keep the facilities open, still comes with plenty of pain. Libraries across the board will likely shorten their hours and be staffed by fewer librarians.
Though the number of closures has shrunk to less than 10 percent of the existing libraries — compared to nearly half under the worst-case scenario — the number of proposed layoffs has not gone down by the same proportion. The latest estimate has 192 library workers losing their jobs, down from 251.
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The list won’t be finalized until commissioners vote on the 2013-14 budget after two public hearings in September.

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See Also: We posted earlier this week that the Harrisburg Public Schools no longer have librarians on staff and volunteers will trained to “check out and organize books and other materials.”
Will a similar scenario also be case in Miami-Dade? What about all of the other things librarians do in both school and public libraries? Additional comments here.

Previous Miami-Dade Coverage

• Miami-Dade’s Main Library Downsizing Its Space as Part of Budget Cuts (August 8)
• 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)

Filed under: Jobs, Libraries, News, Public Libraries, School Libraries