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Library advocates urge larger, permanent staffing investment as branches run thin
Summary
Library Advisory Board Chair Janet Sayers told the City Council the Albuquerque library system is under‑staffed and relies heavily on temporary employees; the board seeks roughly $2.5 million to convert temporary positions to permanent roles and stabilize service hours.
Janet Sayers, chair of the Library Advisory Board, told the City Council on May 6 that Albuquerque’s 19 branch libraries face long‑term staffing shortfalls that limit hours, services and fundraising capacity. Sayers said the system operates “on a shoestring,” comparing it to “one chef and one waiter” and saying a large share of the workforce—about one in four employees—are temporary hires who can be employed only two years.
Sayers said branch staffing varies widely across the city and presented a branch‑by‑branch snapshot: she cited three full‑time equivalents at Westgate, five at San Pedro and seven at the Juan Tabo branch. She said openings and shortages force managers to shuffle staff to keep branches open and that temporary employees, who must be re‑hired through a temp agency, often leave once they know their status is time‑limited.
“Libraries can only be open safely with a minimum of two employees,” Sayers told councilors, adding that the current reliance on temporary workers “is not a good way to have a personnel system.” She said the library board has proposed a funding target of about $2.5 million in recurring dollars to convert temporary staffing into permanent positions and fund recurring technology costs that the library already pays for.
Councilors acknowledged the presentation and said staffing and hours are issues they will follow through the municipal budget process. Several councilors thanked Sayers for the briefing and encouraged library staff and board members to coordinate with the council’s budget timeline. The board’s request will be vetted further during the city’s budget review and committee hearings.
Ending: The Library Advisory Board framed its request as a multi‑year, capacity‑building ask rather than a one‑time upgrade. Sayers said permanent hires would help branches maintain consistent hours, make donor pitches more effective and reduce turnover; councilors said the request will be considered as part of the 2026 budget process.
