With deeper, more severe budget cuts possibly on the horizon, the Hawai'i State Public Library System may have to again cut services after nearly five years of attempting to restore previous cuts to library hours and staff.

"We just barely recovered from the 2003 reductions," State Librarian Richard Burns said.

"It's probable that hours may have to be cut again. ... I don't see very much alternative to that option if the budget cuts that have already come down continue," Burns said.

As with other state agencies, the public library system recently reduced its operating budget by 4 percent — or $1.2 million — to meet budget restrictions imposed by Gov. Linda Lingle. Those reductions were on top of nearly $1 million in cuts made by lawmakers this past legislative session.

The dollar amount may appear small compared with cuts by other state agencies, but the blow was substantial to the 51-branch library system, which has a lean budget of slightly more than $30 million a year, library officials said.

That means the library's budget is down to $28.3 million, a 6.9 percent reduction compared with 2007-2008.

More than $400,000 is being cut from the $3.1 million budget for new books and materials, said Keith Fujio, administrative services officer for the libraries.

"This is going to mean a lot (fewer) books," Fujio said.

Also, the library system is cutting some $600,000 in energy conservation projects that were planned for this year, Fujio said. Those projects included retrofitting light fixtures and investing in photovoltaics to save on electricity costs.

The remaining $184,000 will come from savings by not filling staff vacancies, Fujio said. There are about 56 vacancies in the state library system.

Those cuts are just the beginning, Burns said. The governor recently put a freeze on filling any further staff vacancies that may occur.

"We have many staff members who have reached retirement age. With all of our vacant positions frozen, as people retire, we are going to be unable to fill those positions," Burns said.

About 204 employees, or about 35 percent, are 55 years or older, meaning retirements can happen at any time.

"As a result of budget cuts in 1995 and 2003, we've become a very lean organization. We've been doing more with less for over a decade now," Burns said.

"We're very concerned about being able to continue to provide the days and hours of service we provide now," he said.

Burns said the library system has been working for years to recover from severe staff shortages that occurred during the budget reductions in 1995 and then again in 2003.

STEADY RETIREMENTS

The library's staffing problems have improved since the high of 135 vacancies in August 2004. The library's current staff of 555 is about 10 percent below the 1995 levels.

Likewise, the system has been working for the past five years to recover from a cut of 200 public service hours. Burns said about half those hours were reinstated, but it has been difficult with the shortage in staffing and steady pace of retirements by librarians.

If current staffing levels are reduced any further, it will likely mean a cut to library programs, including story times, teen programs, author meet-and-greets and other community outreach, said Stacie Kanno, branch manager at the Kapolei Public Library.

"It's hard to put on 20 programs a month if you're unable to staff your reference desk," Kanno said.

Kanno said Kapolei, the second-largest library in the state, offers a more "aggressive" community program because it is viewed both as a library and a community center.

"If budget cuts continue, the first thing to go will be these programs," she said.

DOING MORE WITH LESS

Typically, during hard economic times, public library usage tends to spike. So any further reduction in staff will mean that libraries will have more work with fewer people.

"I think libraries are in such a unique position to help during an economic downturn," said Susan Nakata, manager of library development services.

"It would be such a shame if we cut our services," she said.

For instance, this year's summer reading program drew more than 20,000 patrons who read some 281,000 books over a five-week period, she said.

Financial support for the program comes from the library's corporate sponsors as well as Friends of the Library of Hawaii. But the program relies on library staff for it to be administered.

Likewise, about 50,695 children attended about 1,600 children story time programs across the state. The programs are also administered by library staff.

"We're lucky that the funds are provided to us, but if we don't have the staff, it's very difficult to put it on," Nakata said.