Reduced library hours dismay county residents

The reality of reduced library hours and the shuttering of the Bryceville library branch is setting in for county residents. And it doesn’t feel good.

The cutbacks are the result of a tentative budget adopted earlier this month by Nassau County commissioners. Commissioners voted to approve a reduced millage rate of 6.5178, marking the sixth straight year of millage rate reductions. But the budget slashes various funds and programs — including library hours.

Besides the reduced millage rate, the passage of Amendment 3 on the November ballot could reduce property tax revenue that the county relies on, requiring tighter budgets. The budget is tentative for now. Commissioners will hold a final hearing on Sept. 28.

According to Nassau County officials, the new library hours will include:

• The Fernandina Beach Branch Library will be closed on Saturdays, beginning Oct. 1. Weekday hours will remain the same: Monday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• The Yulee Library Branch recently reduced its operating hours from five days to three days. It’s now open on Monday through Wednesday only.
• The Bryceville Branch Library will close completely beginning on Oct. 29. The county will install an outdoor locker at the library to allow patrons to pick up requested library materials. The book drop will remain open for returning materials. Log into your library account or call any Nassau County library for more information or assistance.

Library cutbacks will hit hard, says Mary Louise Hester, president of Friends of the Fernandina Beach Library. The loss of Saturday hours is disheartening.

“It is really going to be impactful for the families that work and have kids in school,” Hester says. She says she and her spouse ride bicycles downtown each Saturday, stopping at the farmer’s market and the library. The library is typically busy on Saturdays.

“This past Saturday, there were three or four people outside waiting for the library to open,” Hester says. “No one was aware that it would be closing (on Saturdays) soon. They were all saying the same thing: They work, and the Fernandina Beach branch was the only county library that was open on Saturdays. Many of them live off island. It’s not just affecting people on the island.”

The library is about so much more than books, she adds. It is an important community hub.

“The library is usually pretty bustling,” she says. “People are on the computers; there to get passports, look at art exhibits. Book clubs meet there. Genealogy sessions have their meetings there in the very extensive genealogy section. The children’s programs are extremely popular.

“There are a lot of senior citizens who live alone who come into the library, and it’s a place they can visit with others. They meet with their friends. The library really spans all age groups.”

The closure of the Bryceville Branch Library is a deep loss for the community, advocates told commissioners at a Sept. 14 commission meeting. Visits to the Bryceville Library have soared in recent years, according to Angie Hall, president of Friends of the Bryceville Branch Library.

In the past three years, lending has risen by 90%, and the library has experienced a 431% increase in visits. The library, housed inside the Bryceville Community Center, also holds many events, such as book clubs, holiday parties and summer reading programs.

The library provides free, portable Wi-Fi hotspots, which are critical for families who do not have internet service, she adds.

The library, Hall told commissioners, “is the living room, the classroom and the technological lifeline for our community.”

Residents are upset by the closure, Hall says.

“It’s such a small amount [from the Nassau County budget] to keep this library open four days a week,” she says. “This is what is disappointing to me. How can you not find the money to fund the library?”

Hester and other library advocates worry about a national trend of library closures and cutbacks. According to EveryLibrary, a political action committee for libraries, library usage has risen nationwide but budgets and staffing have fallen.

“A lot of people still think library are simply books. You go in and check out your books and leave,” Hester says. “That is really not the case anymore. So many other things happen in libraries now. That has grown out of the fact that they need to be more pertinent to lifestyles.”

The Friends of the Library branch members, who are volunteers, say they also fear for the livelihoods of the dedicated individuals employed at county libraries. Reduced hours and job losses may follow the decision to reduce library hours.

“The librarians are so hard-working. They are so pleasant to people,” Hester says. “They have been worrying about their jobs for half a year. But they have maintained the level of service that we expect.”

She said the Friends of the Library groups in the county will remain active and supportive of the libraries. Friends of the Library Fernandina Beach Branch will hold its twice-annual book sale Nov. 4-7. The book sales raise funds that are donated to the library to purchase materials.

And, on Oct. 6, the Fernandina Beach Branch Library will hold an informational session about the potential impact of Amendment 3. County Commissioner Alyson McCullough will speak and answer questions. The event is at 2 p.m. and is free and nonpartisan. For reservations, go to Friends of the Library.