Public Employee Press

Dwindling staff, unmet services
A branch library copes with the "new normal"

By GREGORY N. HEIRES

Every week a steady stream of adults and kids come through the doors of the Pomonok branch library in Flushing, Queens, to check out books, read newspapers, socialize, use the computers and do homework.

Yet there is no guarantee they will get the service they desire.

"We are not open on Saturdays, and we don't have the staffing necessary to serve the community," Sharon Banks, the branch manager, said. "As it stands now, it becomes harder and harder to meet the needs of the neighborhood."

Staff shortages mean no longer arranged class visits of pre-kindergarten to middle school students. Community groups cannot schedule important meetings because the library is not open on Saturdays. The popular former assistant manager who provided instruction about how to use laptops and cell phones has not been replaced.

Years ago, Pomonok had four full-time librarians. Now the branch struggles with two full-timers and one part-time Librarian.

"Fewer staffers means fewer programs offered, fewer classes given and fewer opportunities for our customers," said Banks, a Queens Public Library Guild Local 1321 member.

"You should not go to the library to be the 123rd person on the waiting list to read a bestseller," Banks said

The acquisition budget used to be $2,000 a month. Now it's $2,000 a year. The library struggles to maintain its collection thanks to private donations, but the children's books are old and the adult section isn't deep.

"You used to go to the public library where the shelves were filled with books," Banks said. "Now they are not."

A burden on the poor

Mattie Bell, the customer service supervisor, said the lack of system-wide six-day service hits poor families hardest. Many cannot afford to pay for public transportation to visit the few branches open on Saturday, she said.

Because of the understaffing, several people often must line up for library cards and to ask questions.

Mills expressed her frustration about not being able to accommodate these patrons more quickly, as well as others who need assistance.

Customer Service Representative Veleste Hannah, who accompanies Bell at the desk, is swamped since she must do her book preparation work and card registration while handling inquiries from patrons. When staffing was better, she used to do the book processing and card registration in a back room.

Pomonok once had three clerical workers. After getting a self-checkout machine, the library reduced the clerical staff to two positions.

The library's part-time children's librarian, Rosemary Kiladitis, who is not a member of the union, said her limited hours and insufficient budget prevent her from providing the services she wants.

The $200 monthly budget for book purchases is inadequate anywhere, but especially in a neighborhood with a ot of Chinese and Spanish speakers. The library has only a limited collection of books in those languages. "We don't even have a copy of ˜The Chronicles of Narnia,'" Kiladitis said. "How do you have a collection without ˜The Chronicles of Narnia'?"

"I would love to offer more quality programs," said Sr. Librarian Jing Min. "But when you are short-staffed, it's hard to offer and schedule programs."

"Unfortunately, when you operate at a deficit for a long time, this becomes the new normal," said Banks, saying the staffers are working to do the best they can with insufficient resources.