By Chris Barber

As early as last year, Avon Grove Library Director Kim Ringler knew the income was sagging and things didn't look so good. County and state support was down, and the annual fund-raiser income fell about $10,000 short from the previous year.

Turns out, those trends did not reverse.

Now, as she and her board are juggling numbers to keep afloat, they have decided that the only way to make up for the shortfall is to close on Fridays. Starting on Jan. 8, 2010, the doors will be locked and programs stopped every Friday.

"Closing on Fridays means staff is cut. If you work on Friday, you will be cut," she said.

Ringler said Monday that this year's state and county cuts mean a loss of $28,000. In addition, donations, fines and fees are down, bringing the shortfall to $45,000. Even the annual "Books and Bordeaux" gala that in the past has brought in $22,000 this year garnered only $12,000.

The diminished income from government sources are reflective of a 21 percent drop from the state and a 5.8 percent cut from the county.

Last year's Avon Grove Library budget was about $350,000; now it is just over $300,000, she said.

In addition to the Friday closings, the library will be cutting in other areas as well, with the book budget down by 2 percent and a possible reduction in kids' special programs.

Ringler said the Avon Grove library is not alone in facing financial distress with Tredyffrin and Paoli libraries cutting days as well, and West Chester reducing hours. "This is throughout Pennsylvania. ... Historically Pennsylvania doesn't fund libraries particularly well. Other state have better funding," she said.

Ringler said the cuts are particularly disappointing because libraries offer so much to the public for so little.

Through the inter-library loan system, people can get just about any book they want delivered to their home library through sharing throughout the state. The children's programs, as well, offer fun and education in the form of projects and story time at almost no cost to the participants.

And, ironically, at a time when people need them the most, libraries also become important in times of economic downturn because people can come in and search for jobs and create resumes with the library. Now they will have one day a week less to access the resources at the library.

"I feel absolutely horrible that it comes to this. We are the Internet access for people who can't afford computers. We're taking computer time for people seeking jobs," she said.

When she was asked about possibilities of making up the shortfall, Ringler prefaced her comments by saying that many people believe that libraries are entirely government financed. "The fact is that 25 percent comes from community and private donations," she said.

A generally accepted support numbers by the state for municipalities to give to their local library is $5 per resident per year. "Right now, London Grove is the only township that donates at that level. ... although New London [recently] gave $3,800," she said. She suggested that perhaps the municipalities could increase their giving as well as some local organizations doing the same.

"If the municipalities can somehow increase their allocation to make up the $45,000 shortfall, we'll be able to resume the library hours on Fridays and increase our materials budget. In the mean time, we'll continue providing the best range of materials, programs and services we can with the resources we have," she said in previously released statement.