Gwinnett Libraries to Cut Hours in October

Gwinnett Public Library branches will reduce hours beginning in October, but will remain open seven days a week.

At a special called meeting of the library board Thursday Sept. 22), it was announced that effective Oct. 23, the library will reduce from hours from 53 a week to 44, according to the Gwinnett Daily Post. The move had been expected because the library is facing funding cuts from the county.

Said Library Director Nancy Stanbery-Kellam: "We are at a point where we have to cut hours. Our service is suffering, and we don't have the staff."

However, library board members Philip Saxton and Dick Goodman publicly disagreed over plans for the library to raise funds via in-branch advertising and seeking donations, according to the report.

"This is a distraction," Goodman said. "You're dealing with this as if this is a cure-all. In the meantime, the funding situation will continue to deteriorate...and we're sitting here talking about little projects that may or may not work."

Saxton defended the plan. "If we don't do anything, then we can predict that with further cuts our library system...will be severely impacted. This concept allows us to go to the public and say: 'Join us. Help us.' "