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Rochester Library seeks four full‑time positions; council debates Sunday hours and cost savings
Summary
Library Director Karen Lemke proposed converting part‑time roles into four full‑time positions to improve continuity and service; council members debated whether closing one day a week would produce meaningful savings and questioned how many patrons use Sundays.
Karen Lemke, director of the Rochester Public Library, asked the council on Sept. 8 to approve a staffing change that would convert a mix of part‑time positions into four full‑time FTEs. Lemke said the library historically used two kinds of part‑time employees: 13.5‑hour non‑benefited workers for shelving and repetitive tasks, and 18.5‑hour positions that qualify for limited benefits and can perform a wider set of duties. She said a 2023 pilot that consolidated part‑time hours into a single full‑time position proved successful and improved continuity.
“Starting at 2023, we had 40 of those 18.5 roles. We have not been refilling them as they have been open. Right now, we have about 21 that are remaining,” Lemke told the council. The requested four FTEs are intended to be funded by attrition—that is, not refilling some 18.5‑hour roles—and to retain shelving and minor tasks with 13.5‑hour non‑benefited positions.
Council members pressed for specifics about savings and service impact. Council member Palmer asked whether closing the library one day per week would yield significant savings; Lemke and staff said the bulk of library costs are personnel and fixed facility costs, and that a one‑day closure (or reduced bookmobile service) would reduce temporary salary costs but leave many fixed costs unchanged. The library estimated a one‑day‑per‑week closure would save roughly $111,000 annually from the budget line tied to temporary staff and service points, not the full salary base.
Council members asked for attendance data. Lemke said Sundays are among the library’s busiest hours, with more visits per hour on Sundays than many weekdays; she estimated Sundays draw hundreds of patrons (staff cited “close to a thousand” on some Sundays across hours and said peak weekday hourly volumes are lower). Several council members, including Doran and Keane, opposed reducing open hours and noted the library is used for employment searches, shelter during extreme weather and other services that supporters said would be harmed by reduced hours.
Council member Miller and others expressed support for the staffing conversion, saying it would improve service reliability. Lemke said the request would increase full‑time payroll but reduce temporary salary lines through attrition; the library’s decision package shows a netted cost after those offsets.
The council did not take a formal vote on the staffing request during the session; staff said the library plans to present additional details, and the city will continue budget deliberations ahead of the preliminary levy deadline.
