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September 23, 2009

Library needs help to restore funding

By: MELISSA HAYES
Burlington County Times
The Mount Holly Library and Lyceum is asking patrons to sign a petition. It says that if the funding is cut, programs will be dropped.

mhayes@phillyBurbs.com

609-267-5569

MOUNT HOLLY - The Mount Holly Library and Lyceum is asking for help in persuading the township to restore its funding.

A petition was placed at the library's circulation desk this week and signatures will be collected through December. Library director Michael Eck said the petition is "a request to the township to restore our funding."

The Township Council did not fund the library in 2008 or 2009 because of budget cuts and state aid reductions. In previous years the township provided $20,000 or about one-fifth of the library's budget.

Eck said without the funding, programs and hours could be cut.

"It's very serious," he said. "You're looking at reduced hours. We would have to close more days and I'm hoping it wouldn't come down to closing permanently, but that could happen."

The library is open Monday through Saturday and has seen an increase in users and borrowing in recent years, Eck said.

At its Aug. 10 meeting, the council voted to place a nonbinding public question on the November ballot asking voters whether they support increasing taxes to fund the library.

Advertisement But at the Aug. 24 meeting, Dwaynne Belton, president of the library's Board of Trustees, said the board disagreed with the library's being described as a "private" entity in the question.

Township officials said the wording could not be changed because of a deadline to get the question on the ballot.

At the Sept. 14 meeting, the majority of the council voted to rescind the ballot question.

The library has a long history. It has occupied the 1830 Georgian-style Langstaff Mansion on High Street since 1957. Originally known as the Bridgetown Library, it received its charter June 11, 1765, from King George III of England through New Jersey's governor-general, William Franklin.

While the library belongs to the Burlington County Library System, it is a member library as opposed to a branch, which means the county does not fund it entirely.

Township Administrator Kathleen Hoffman said the township cannot offer monetary support but has been helping out by providing painting and lawn service through the public works department.

"Hopefully in the future we are able to fund them in real dollars," Hoffman said.

September 23, 2009 03:20 AM

Posted by tumulty at September 23, 2009 4:16 PM

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