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Community Library of Providence asks for $80,000 to avoid reduced hours
Summary
The Community Library of Providence told the committee that level funding would force reduced branch hours and asked for roughly $80,000 (about 2%) to restore evening access at key branches; the speaker also noted a $2.5 million capital investment for library upgrades in the city's CIP.
Cheryl Space, executive director of the Community Library of Providence, told the Special Committee on Ways and Means that if the system receives only level funding it would need to cut staff and reduce service hours at Mount Pleasant, Roshambo and Night Memorial libraries to two nights and two mornings per week — hours the library used before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Space asked the committee to consider an additional $80,000 — "an approximately 2% increase," she said — that would allow the system to expand evening hours to three nights a week at the busiest branches and avoid program and meeting-space disruptions. She highlighted community demand for evening programs, maker-space workshops, GED and ESL classes, and citizenship assistance, and said the city's capital improvement plan includes $2.5 million to fund critical library upgrades.
Council members acknowledged the request and said they would include the ask in forthcoming amendment materials where feasible. No formal vote was taken during the hearing.
