New state librarian faces budget, staffing difficulties
By Derrick DePledge
Advertiser Education Writer
Jo Ann Schindler, the new state librarian, has still not added her name to the sign outside her basement office near the main branch downtown.
She has been doing the job since July, when she replaced Virginia Lowell, who retired for family reasons, but everything wasn't official until Oct. 16, and Schindler has had other priorities.
Jo Ann Schindler said library hours and other services will not likely be restored until libraries start filling at least 40 staff vacancies.
Immediately after she started as acting librarian, Schindler sent a memo to staff outlining the major challenges ahead for the 50 branch system and asked her staff to share their ideas.
Not surprisingly, her staff told her that budget and staffing obstacles are the biggest concerns.
Budget cuts earlier this year forced libraries to reduce hours and cancel bookmobiles, and Schindler is operating under a new fiscal year budget that increased by less than $1 million from the year before, with most of that money going to the new library in Kapolei.
Schindler said library hours and other services will not likely be restored until libraries start filling at least 40 staff vacancies. But she is making $30,000 available for branches to help certain targeted groups, such as students having trouble with reading or people who are learning English.
"We have to fill those positions before we can really move forward," she said. "Obviously, we don't have all the resources we would like."
Schindler will ask the Legislature for an extra $1 million for books and materials and $5 million for capital improvement projects next fiscal year.
Schindler, who will earn $95,000 as state librarian, grew up here and attended St. Andrew's Priory, Punahou School and the University of Hawai'i-Manoa. She obtained her master's degree in library studies at the University of California at Berkeley. A veteran administrator in the Hawai'i library system, she has seen how the job has become political over the years, and admits that aspect will be a new experience for her.
Lowell, her predecessor, was sharply criticized this year by Gov. Linda Lingle for reducing library hours and some lawmakers called on her to resign, although Lowell was defended by members of the state Board of Education.
"It's not something that I have any experience with," Schindler said of the politics, "so I feel we will need to do our homework."
Reach Derrick DePledge at ddepledge@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8084.
