Posted on: Sunday, March 2, 2003

EDITORIAL
Embattled libraries must put patrons first

Faced with a near impossible budget squeeze, the state public library system has gone into triage mode. As on a battlefield or in an emergency room, the system is struggling to save what can be saved with limited resources while the rest will be left to die.

In this case, being left to die are extended hours, extra services, expanded holdings at new and existing libraries and a host of other amenities Hawai'i library patrons have come to expect.

State Librarian Virginia Lowell knows full well that these changes are bound to make a lot of people unhappy. But she has little choice. The library system has seen a steady decline in its budget over the past several years.

Yes, it might be possible to let some "warm bodies" go, but Lowell knows this is shortsighted. The cost of rehiring and retraining personnel when there is a need (and the money) to hire will far offset short-term gains.

In addition, such a move would be politically difficult since the new Lingle administration is committed to a no-layoff policy. So, what to do?

Lowell has ordered the entire system to go to a five-day-a-week, one-shift system. That is, no split shifts, no extra shifts to cover nights and weekends, and no six- or seven-day schedules with limited hours. Her rationale is that whether one opens a library for three hours, five hours or eight hours, there are fixed costs involved.

So to maximize resources, Lowell has asked each library to be open no more than five days a week and no more than one shift a day.

And here is the rub: What days and what shifts? It is not as easy an answer.

There is a good argument to be made that if libraries should be closed, it should be during the traditional 9-to-5, Monday-through-Friday schedule. After all, that's when most adults are at work and most children are at school.

Why not keep them open nights and weekends instead?

In some cases, Lowell says, that might make sense. But many libraries serve as both community and school libraries and thus need to be open a good part of the time that school is in session. Even some non-campus libraries serve community schools.

Then there are adults — retirees mostly — who are active patrons of the library and appreciate convenient daytime hours.

So there can be no one-size-fits-all solution. But it is imperative that as schedules are scaled back, the needs and desires of each library's customer base be considered first. This is a classic customer service aspect of government, and must be run with that customer in mind.

For instance, libraries must cooperate among themselves. If one finds itself closed on Saturday, for instance, then the next closest library should stay open on Saturday and close Sunday. Some of this is already happening.

Libraries that do not have a strong daytime school constituency should consider using their one shift to cover afternoon and evening hours.

The union, obviously, will have a say in how hours are arranged. But this should not end up being a decision based on what is best for those who work for the libraries, but rather what is best for their patrons.