Decatur, IL - Due to budget cuts by the city, the Decatur Public Library is cutting jobs and services. The Decatur City Council cut nearly $400,000 from the library's budget, and the state still owes it $100,000. As a result, 11 library workers will be laid off, the bookmobiles will be parked, and the library annex will close.
City Librarian Lee Ann Fisher says the cuts come at a time of increased demand for its services. Fisher says, "People using the library is up, people getting library cards is up, people wanting things is up, we're helping the unemployed in Decatur get job skills with our computer classes, you know and here we are adding to the unemployed in Decatur."
The library will also stop collecting from the 12 drop-off boxes throughout the city and cut spending on new materials by 10 percent. The cuts take effect May 1.
