SEATTLE—The Seattle Public Library system will close for seven days, plus Labor Day holiday, Aug. 31-Sept. 7, to help the library meet a 2 percent budget reduction.
The system-wide closure is part of a broader city effort to bridge a $43 million gap in the 2009 city budget. All city departments were asked to make budget cuts, with the library asked to reduce its budget by 2 percent, approximately $1 million.
Seven hundred employees will not be paid or accrue vacation and retirement benefits during this time. Additional budget cuts will include management and administration layoffs and reducing training opportunities.
The Seattle Library System includes a central library, located in the heart of downtown Seattle, and 26 neighborhood branches. In 2007 the library served 11,639,377 patrons.
The system-wide closure is part of a broader city effort to bridge a $43 million gap in the 2009 city budget. All city departments were asked to make budget cuts, with the library asked to reduce its budget by 2 percent, approximately $1 million.
Seven hundred employees will not be paid or accrue vacation and retirement benefits during this time. Additional budget cuts will include management and administration layoffs and reducing training opportunities.
The Seattle Library System includes a central library, located in the heart of downtown Seattle, and 26 neighborhood branches. In 2007 the library served 11,639,377 patrons.
