Providence Community Library Reduces Opening Hours at its Three Larger Locations to Cut Costs

Locations to Cut CostsChanges Impact Knight Memorial, Mount Pleasant and
Rochambeau Until June 30*

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Providence Community Library (PCL) will reduce opening
hours on two days a week at its Knight Memorial, Mount Pleasant and
Rochambeau locations until the end of the financial year. The three
locations will open one hour later at 1:00P.M. on Fridays and Saturdays
starting Friday, May 6, until the end of June. The changes make savings by
reducing the number of staff hours required to cover lunchtime periods at
PCL’s three, larger regional libraries. The PCL Board emphasizes that there
will be no job losses as a result of the changes.

PCL operates nine locations in Providence, employs 70 staff and serves
55,000 patrons. The Library anticipates a $100,000 shortfall for its
current financial year, which ends June 30. PCL is taking fiscally
responsible steps to minimize its projected year end deficit. “We don’t
like to reduce hours but the changes in opening times at some locations
will protect jobs and keep the impact on library patrons to a minimum” said
Cyndie Wilmot, President of the PCL Board of Directors. “We hope that the
small reduction in hours at our three larger libraries will be a temporary
measure.”

PCL and its supporters have campaigned vigorously for an increase in
funding from the City of Providence, pointing out that while operational
costs have skyrocketed, the Library has received the same level of funding
from the City since 2010. PCL is running a determined campaign to raise
money to close the fiscal gap. «Strengthening Our Roots,» a fundraising
event on May 4 at Hotel Providence, will honor Congressman David Cicilline
and a PCL co-founder, Linda Kushner. Additionally, fundraiser raffle
tickets are on sale at all nine PCL locations, $5 each or three tickets for
$10, and the winner will receive half of the proceeds of all tickets sold.
The pot currently stands at $4,200 and the winning ticket will be drawn at
the fundraiser on May 4.

For more information about PCL’s hours and locations, visit
www.provcomlib.org/locations. For more about PCL’s fundraiser and the 50/50
raffle, visit www.provcomlib.org/roots .