Harper library branch reopens Fridays
New chapter begins as cash found; longer hours much in demand
WATERLOO — The John M. Harper library will reopen on Fridays after hours were cut short last year to save money.
Now the Waterloo Public Library Board says it has found a sustainable way to keep the branch open six days a week.
“We had our eye on figuring out an answer to this puzzle for a long time,” said Karen Scian, chair of the library board.
An unexpected retirement of a senior staff member freed up some funds, she said.
That combined with a “lean” staffing model has made enough cash available to reopen the Harper branch on Fridays starting in July. It will also open 30 minutes earlier each morning.
“We’ve been on a continuous improvement journey for five years with really great results. I do believe we have one of the most efficient and effective library systems around,” she added.
Scian said the new changes will not affect the library’s operating budget.
The newest branch, one of three in Waterloo, decided to close on Fridays and Sundays last January after facing a $300,000 deficit for 2016.
Some of the financial pressure was due to unexpectedly high hydro costs for the new building on Fischer-Hallman Road.
The library saved $120,000 by closing two days a week, but a long-term solution was needed to reopen the library and keep it on budget. In the past the library has cut staff, shortened hours and tried other ways to make ends meet.
Scian said she is happy with this solution and is confident it is sustainable.
“Our citizens expect their library to be open and they want it to be open. We are very aware of how important our public library system is.”
There are no plans to reopen the Harper branch on Sundays. Right now the McCormick branch is also closed on Sundays. The library’s main branch in uptown Waterloo is open for a few hours on Sundays for part of the year.
Scian said a fourth library branch in the city’s east end is still on the board’s radar. That decision will ultimately be up to city council. Right now there are no operating funds available for a new branch.
The John M. Harper library will be open on Fridays starting July 7. It will open at 9:30 a.m. instead of 10 a.m. each morning (except Sundays) starting July 3.