By GREGORY N. HEIRES

The budget crisis is devastating the city’s three library systems, where millions of dollars of cuts have closed branches, abridged services and reduced the staff of union workers.

The leaders of three DC 37 locals painted a grim picture of the libraries when they spoke Nov. 26 at a hearing of the City Council Committee on Cultural Affairs and Libraries.

“This is a catastrophe,” said Ray Markey, president of New York Public Library Local Guild 1930. He noted that most of the libraries in Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island now stay open only five days a week.

The Queens Library has already diminished its purchases of books, closed the Connecting Libraries and Schools Project and eliminated Sunday service in all but three branches. “Starting in January, 14 branches will eliminate Saturday service,” said John Socha, president of Queens Library Guild Local 1321.

“This year’s cuts will endanger services to new Americans, children, teens and senior citizens. They could also reduce Saturday service in the remaining branches,” Mr. Socha said.

“Crisis level” staffing
Eileen Muller, the new president of Brooklyn Public Library Guild Local 1482, said staffing is at a “crisis level.”

The library system implemented a hiring freeze in 2001. The system is down by 50 full-time positions and will be losing another 25 employees due to the early retirement incentive.

The new cutbacks are particularly tragic at a time when more and more unemployed people are turning to their local libraries for help in their job searches and resume preparation, she said.

In its mid-year budget modification in November, the city imposed a 9 percent reduction — more than $20 million — in the three library systems’ operating budgets. That came on top of an earlier cut of 2 percent shortly after the City Council passed the budget in June.