Saugus Library enduring tough times

SAUGUS – Saugus Library Director Diane Wallace said it’s been a tough ride for the library since having its budget cut last month.Since July 1, Wallace said she had to lay off two part-time staffers while another left to take a full-time job. She also hasn’t been able to fill the spot left by Ewa Jankowska, the former interim director who retired in May.”We don’t have enough staff,” said Wallace. “We never got to replace Ewa (Jankowska). That’s the cataloging position. We split a lot of that up and I also took on a lot of that. There’s just so much work to do. Some mornings I’m not even doing my own work until lunch.”The library had its budget reduced from $500,000 to $370,000 this year so the town could meet steep budget shortfalls.Wallace said the library’s certification is also in jeopardy heading into the fall, but noted she’s confident she’ll be able to receive a waiver from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.”We needed another $55,000 on top of the $370,000 to maintain certification,” said Wallace. “We have to fill out paperwork in October and that’s when they’ll be notified that we want to apply for a waiver.”Wallace said the library has to meet certain requirements to apply for the waiver, including staying open a minimum of 47 hours and having 13 percent of the budget go toward new materials.”Those two things should be OK,” said Wallace. “It’s the budget piece we need the waiver on. Our budget was reduced 28 percent, they’ve never granted a waiver when it was more than 29 percent ? but they’ll take the whole town’s financial situation into consideration.”According to Wallace, 122 libraries applied for waivers last year and 121 received them.”They used to have a maximum of about 10 but because of the economy they did away with that,” said Wallace. “We absolutely have to be certified or we can’t share in the network and nobody can go to any other libraries.”On Tuesday, Aug. 14, the Library Board of Trustees will hold an open house at the library in the hopes of starting a new Friends of the Public Library fundraising group. The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. in the community room.”Hopefully they’ll generate some new interest in the library and volunteers for within the library and doing fundraising,” said Wallace. “The bulk of my budget went toward books, staff and the NOBLE network. I have minimal left for office supplies and materials. I’m really hoping the friends group can help us with that.”The previous “Friends” group was disbanded after former administrative assistant Linda Duffy was arrested and charged with stealing more than $800,000 from the library.Duffy is due back in federal court in Boston on Aug. 24 for a plea hearing where she is expected to enter a guilty plea.Despite this, Wallace said she thinks Saugus residents will still show their support for the library.”I think that a lot of people are past that,” said Wallace. “Most people realize that it was just one person who has been identified and removed, and the rest of us are hard-working and need the support.”Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].