Library hours fall victim to staff shortages

FINGAL County Council’s proposal to reduce opening hours at a number of its libraries has been met with widespread local opposition.

However, the local authority has taken steps to allay concerns about the changes to its library strategy. These are necessary due to diminished staff numbers, the older age profile of its employees and the moratorium on recruitment.

A report presented to councilors last week highlighted the fact that staff numbers in the Libraries Department are down 16.2 per cent on the 2007 figure.

Over half the library staff across all nine branches are over the age of 50, making retirement a major issue for Fingal County Council in the short to medium term.

The council now plans to reduce its operational hours at a number of branches and coordinate opening times.

The libraries affected are Balbriggan, Baldoyle and Rush.

Balbriggan Library will see a reduction in its opening hours from 54 to 37. Baldoyle and Rush will be reduced from 50 to 37 hours.

However, Skerries Library’s opening hours will be retained at 31 hours and Howth’s times will also remain unchanged. The council hopes that this can help offset any inconvenience caused to users of Rush and Baldoyle libraries as membership cards can be used throughout the branches.

Fingal County Council acknowledged that the reduction in hours will mean that individuals and groups may have to rearrange the timing of their library visits.

“However, we have endeavoured to accommodate as many usage patterns as possible so that morning and evening users in particular will still have choice in the timing of their visits to libraries,

? the council’s report stated.

A council spokesperson emphasised that a six-day service would continue to operate at Fingal libraries. She pointed out that the libraries also offered a 24/7 online service, which was seeing a significant increase in visits. This facility allows users, for example, to renew their books online or order them from their local branch.

There has been considerable unhappiness at the proposed changes to the affected libraries’ opening hours. Local councilors reported that they had been inundated with representations on the matter from their constituents and have urged Fingal management to reconsider.

The Minister for Health, James Reilly, a Dublin North TD, said he would be monitoring the situation.

Emotions were running particularly high in Rush, which is home to an award winning library in the restored St Maur’s Church. The opening of the library, fitted out at a cost in excess of

?¬3m, had originally been delayed by a number of months due to staff shortages caused by the recruitment moratorium.

Local resident Niamh Byrne said the proposed reduction in opening hours at Rush Library was yet another blow for the community.

“Rush has taken an unfair amount of cuts to services,

? she said.

“We have lost our Garda station and our only bank is now closed.

“The library is such a huge asset to our town and the people of Rush are very proud of it.

?

She added:

“Why spend the money on renovating the building only to then limit its use? It has upset a lot of people who already feel that their town has been unfairly targeted.

?