
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, May 19, 1995                   TAG: 9505190071
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: BRIAN KELLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG                                 LENGTH: Medium

LIBRARY BOARD TO BE PATIENT, FOR NOW, ON BUDGET CUTS

Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library officials will take a wait-and-see approach to a promise to restore $69,000 to their budget later this year.

The Library Board of Trustees passed a resolution Wednesday asking the Montgomery Board of Supervisors to consider restoring the money.

The library trustees had planned to push the issue into consideration at Monday's supervisors meeting. But after discussions Thursday with supervisors Chairman Larry Linkous, library officials decided to wait.

"We trust the Board of Supervisors," said Nancy Hurst, Library Board chairwoman. "They are doing their best to take care of the problem."

Montgomery eliminated $69,000 from its contribution to the regional library after learning of a state-funding increase in the same amount. Library officials found out about the cut only after the budget had been approved last month. The cut, made by the county staff, surprised several members of the Board of Supervisors, too.

County Administrator Betty Thomas said Montgomery traditionally uses conservative revenue projections and she thinks there may be some more money available later in the year.

Hurst said that means the regional library could receive that money as soon as July, or as late as October.

But if the restoration doesn't come through, then the library staff will have to begin looking for places to cut, according to Library Director Karen Dillon. An early candidate: cutting back on book purchases so the library can buy all the computer equipment needed to automate the library circulation system next year.

Librarians have yet to receive an explanation of why the county reduced its contribution by $69,000 to match an increase in state aid by the same amount, Dillon said. The problem is that state aid may be used only on certain items, such as salaries for staff members with master's of library science degrees. It cannot be used to cover routine operating expenses.

That means only a portion of library costs can be paid for with the state money, and other items will have to be trimmed back to pay for priority purchases, such as computers and telecommunications lines needed as part of the library automation project.

by CNB