APRIL 21, 2008

COUNTY LEGISLATOR KONST PLEASED WITH LIBRARY RESTORATION OF SERVICES, CONTINUED HIGH USE OF FACILITIES IN COUNTY

The Erie County Legislature Finance and Management Committee was pleased to receive a positive report from officials from the Buffalo and Erie County Public Libraries (BECPL) when representatives presented their 2008 capital spending plan comments last week.

County Legislator Kathy Konst (D-Lancaster, Elma), chair of the Finance and Management Committee, was pleased to hear the library delegation of Director Bridget Quinn-Carey, Chief Financial Officer Kenneth H. Stone and Chief Operating Officer Mary Jean Jakubowski express gratitude for the $1.6 million in restoration funding the County Legislature approved in 2007. A document the library officials distributed noted that the funding "will have maximum impact, strengthening service at 26 libraries and system services to all libraries."

"Many libraries have restored open hours on evenings and weekends most in demand from the public, which means we are providing more service directly to taxpayers," Legislator Konst said. "Library officials tell us that the service and financial impacts are larger by increasing these services than by reopening closed libraries."

Legislator Konst was also pleased that the Lancaster Public Libraries restored Sunday hours to 1-5 p.m. starting February 24 and will be able to remain open for the state-mandated 55 hours per week after receiving $29,573 in restoration funds. The Elma Public Library was able to restore 6 hours a week to allow it to open 41 hours a week through $15,006 in restoration funds. Also restored in Legislator Konst's district were $9,702 to restore funding to support up to 30 hours of operation per week at the Alden Library and $1,250 for clerk typist hours at the Marilla Library to allow more programming work.

The BECPL report noted that system-wide circulation year-to-date through March is up 4 percent (even counting the March Easter holiday), with Sunday circulation up more than 30 percent and year-to-date computer use at the libraries up 41 percent.

"The County Legislature and the library system have worked as partners to restore needed library service, which our constituents have repeatedly told us is a service they value," Legislator Konst said.

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