Last Wednesday I went to the Library Board Meeting for October and they had just been informed they will receive about a million and change less than last year. The library staff came up with an option of closing (mothballing) Hillyard, East Side and Indian Trail Branches which comes pretty close to the million and change, other item on chopping block is the outreach program. The outreach program goes once a month to the various senior centers and nursing homes and delivers books and tapes to people that cannot for what ever reason get to the library. The Library board wanted some more options and so Monday at 4 PM the staff came up with 4 other options. Option 1.1 was to just close East Side and Indian Trail keeping Hillyard open the full five days it is now and cutting the Materials Budget. Downtown would stay open the full 6 days. Option 2 is to close Downtown 1 day (That day is either Saturday or Monday and NO decision on that yet) Shadle and South Hill open 3 days a week, Hillyard, Eastside and Indian Trail open 2 days, using the staff from Shadle and South Side to staff the three smaller branches on the 2 days they are open. The Library Board favors this option, but will not make a final decision till 4PM November 15th. Option 3 Downtown stays open 6 days branches are same as option 2 above. Difference of $140,000 less in Materials Budget. Option 4 Downtown open 3 days, Shadle and South Hill open 5 days, Hillyard, East Side, and Indian Trail open 2 days, so downtown staff goes to small branches 3 days. All of these options still close the outreach program, but the board is looking to the capital budget for $100,000 a one time cost of laying off the staff at Hillyard, East Side and Indian Trail which happens in all the options also. In the next two weeks they will have a meeting at all 5 branches and Downtown for the public to comment. Charles