Panel urges exemption
for library in Waimanalo

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By Susan Essoyan
sessoyan@starbulletin.com

Waimanalo Library is on track to stay open on Saturdays for a privately funded literacy program after winning unanimous support from a state Board of Education committee yesterday for an exemption to new operating rules.

The recommendation by the Committee on Public Libraries will go to the full board for a vote Thursday. If approved, it will allow Waimanalo Library to continue operating six days a week. New state rules limit libraries to five days a week because of budgetary restrictions.

"To squash this initiative and just say, 'Sorry, we have all these rules,' doesn't seem right," said Committee Chairwoman Carol Gabbard, noting that private industry is bearing most of the cost.

The Saturday program, including a literacy worker and someone to conduct story hour, was funded this year by a $10,000 grant from Verizon. One of the state-paid librarians had also shifted her schedule to work four hours on Saturdays, giving the community access to the entire range of library resources, from computers to books.

"You know that this is a community in need; you know this is a community at risk," Richard Burns, Waimanalo Library branch manager, told the committee. "This is a wonderful program that's the right thing to do for Waimanalo and its children."

State Librarian Virginia Lowell had offered to allow the program to operate in the library's meeting room while keeping the library closed on Saturday, but board members concluded it would be too restricting. Lowell argued against the exemption, saying it would set a precedent for other libraries to seek exceptions.

To cope with budget cuts, Lowell has instructed libraries to open no more than five days a week, including at least one weekend or evening shift, and to determine hours based on usage. From 300 to 500 people visit Waimanalo Library on weekdays, with 50 to 70 coming on Saturdays, Burns said.

Board members said they favored bending the rules in this one case because the impact on the state's budget is minimal.