Amid staffing shortages, low attendance and financial concerns, the Lake Bluff Library is once again reducing its hours of operation.
On June 18, the library board voted 4-1 (with one abstention and one member absent) to extend a pilot program started earlier this year cutting some weekday hours, and closing the library on Sundays.
Under the latest board action, the library will close at 6 p.m. on Tuesdays and 8 p.m. on Thursdays to accommodate adult programming. Since January, the building at 123 E. Scranton Ave. has been open until 9 p.m. on both Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Overall, the library will open at 10 a.m. on Mondays through Saturdays, and close at 6 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays, and 5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. It will remain closed on Sundays. The new hours went into operation on July 1.
Library board President Bonnie Shaul was part of the majority supporting the extension of the pilot program.
“The board thoroughly deliberated on this decision,” she said. “While we would look to focus on expanding services for the community, we are faced with tough financial decisions.”
The lone no vote came from Trustee Jenny Graziano.
“Whenever we take a vote as a board, I am trying to represent the people of my community that I have heard feedback from,” Graziano said following the meeting. “I know that they miss the extended hours that the library used to have, especially Sundays. I think part of the community that feels most affected by the pilot program are working parents and families in general.”
After the vote, library Executive Director Renee Grassi sent out a letter to the community detailing why officials believed the action was necessary.
“This was a difficult decision for the library to make,” she wrote. “The trustees and I know this modified schedule of hours is not what the community has been asking for, with many residents asking for the return of Sunday and evening hours. Given our low visit count, continued staffing challenges, and limited financial opportunities, however, the board and I feel this change is necessary to help the library regain capacity short term, so that we can plan long term.”
Grassi said the new hours are set to run through the end of September, when library officials are set to review the pilot program. She said it was possible Sunday hours could return at that time.
In her message, Grassi cited staffing shortages at the library as one of her concerns.
“Reducing hours of operation will require less staff to manage the desk and provide direct customer service, which frees up time for managers to accomplish important projects pertaining to safety, building and grounds, technology, and long-range planning that have been on hold,” she wrote.
Grassi said in an interview there are only five full-time employees including herself, now with a staff turnover rate of approximately 30% since January of 2023.
“Some people are retiring, some people are taking full-time jobs, as the library does not have anything to offer them at this time,” she said.
Moreover, the library continues to have low attendance, averaging as few as 11 patrons during some evening three-hour segments, according to a report prepared for the board.
Looking at its financial picture, the library receives 2% of the overall Lake Bluff property tax bill that supplies the vast majority of the revenue for its $1.1 million annual budget, Grassi said. Also, the library does not have a capital fund for building projects and emergencies.
“We are doing our best to tighten our belts, and be the best stewards of the funds we receive,” she said.
Shaul said trustees are considering ways to improve the library’s financial standing.
“At a February 2024 retreat, the board considered an array of options to enhance funding for the library,” she said. “Everything from philanthropic efforts, to bond issues, to a referendum. Those ideas are still on the table.”
Lake Forest Library Executive Director Ishwar Laxminarayan wrote in an e-mail there are no plans to change that library’s hours of operation.
