MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 20 (UPI) -- Starting Monday, all public libraries in Minneapolis will close for a week to save money.
"Something like this hasn't happened in recent memory," said Public Library Director Kit Hadley. "But it has happened before -- such as during the Great Depression."
Out of service for the week will be the city's temporary downtown library, all community libraries and the Bookmobile.
A long-range improvement program underwritten by a special tax referendum is funding several library renovations but operating funds remain a problem.
Next week's library hiatus was adopted a year ago to help make up for what was then considered a manageable $1.5 million cutback in the 2003 budget, the St. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press.
However, a loss of state funding prompted the library to cut $2 million more last March.
In July, the library's board adopted a 2004 budget that was reduced by an additional $4.6 million which may result in 100 workers getting laid off.
