This is fairly shocking and unprecedented news from the county library system. Here’s a paste-in of the press release:The Sonoma County Library Plans 10-Day Closure
All 13 libraries in the Sonoma County Library system will be closed from 2:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve through Sunday, January 3, 2010, to help make up for a budget shortfall. The Library’s website and all online services also will be shut down during this time period. Details of the closure and instructions for cardholders about returning and renewing library materials will be available online and at the libraries by mid-November.
The Library, which gets 90 percent of its income from property taxes, needs to cut its operating budget by $1.7 million this fiscal year to make up for a shortfall in tax revenues. The Library Commission voted to close the libraries for 10 days in an effort to avoid layoffs.“We know that people love their libraries and are dependent on the services we offer and that closing the libraries over the holidays will be a hardship,” said Library Director Sandy Cooper. “But we decided it would be better to close for 10 days rather than lay off staff or eliminate programs.”
