Sarasota - Privatized libraries: The notion gets a look

Privatized libraries: The notion gets a look

By Zac Anderson & Roger Drouin

Published: Thursday, April 16, 2009 at 1:00 a.m. Last Modified: Wednesday, April 15, 2009 at 10:42 p.m.

Sarasota's public libraries might become not so public.

In an effort to trim $50 million from the county's budget next year, county officials are looking to cut expenses everywhere -- including the library, a service that some residents consider one of the most basic.

The county is checking to see which companies run libraries and if privatizing the library system would reduce costs. At a budget workshop last month, County Administrator Jim Ley told the county commissioners there are "no sacred cows" when it comes to trimming the budget.

"We're looking at a $50-million revenue loss, at best projections," Ley said Wednesday. "So we have a challenge."

Long-time library supporters were surprised by the privatization news Wednesday and wondered why the county had not given them more notice about plans to study what could drastically change the way the library is run.

"This is something totally new to me. I don't even know what to think," said Jane Forbush, president of the Friends of the Jacaranda Library group in Venice and a member of the county's library advisory board for 12 years.

Forbush said she had a hard time seeing how privatization would be a good thing for the library system.

"A tremendous amount of hours are given by volunteers. Volunteers keep the library afloat," Forbush said. "I would think it would be" more difficult to get volunteers to help a private company.

Forbush also cautioned that the county could end up losing more money by privatizing.
The Jacaranda friends group spent $3,000 recently to purchase a new computer for the library's children's department. It is unlikely volunteers would want to give money to a private company, Forbush said.

Ley said that the county is only studying the possibility, and that even if a company takes over operations, it would remain a county library.

Ley also said respondents to the county's annual survey said libraries are one of the areas they would prefer to see cuts in -- rather than "hard services" such as police, fire, street sweeping and road maintenance. "If there is a revenue shortfall and the county had to cut, they say cut parks and libraries," he said.

Before any privatization takes place, the County Commission and a library advisory board would have to approve plans.

The county commissioners have not discussed privatization yet. At last month's budget workshop, they talked in general about looking into streamlining aspects of local government.

"We're trying not to reduce services," Commissioner Joe Barbetta said. "If the administration thinks this can be done without reducing services, then they will come back to us. It is a fine line, and we have to do our best. In this tough economic environment, we have to explore all options."

A partial privatization is possible, Ley said. For example, a company could oversee book purchasing and inventory, while the county operates counter service and librarians.

"We have two responsibilities," Ley said. "One is to get the best service for the least amount of money. The second is to provide the best library experience. The question is if there is a mutually achievable overlap in there somewhere."

Sarasota library volunteer Lydia McIntire said the county would have to make a strong case for privatization, but she would at least be willing to listen.

"I certainly wouldn't condemn it without hearing the pros and cons, that would be kind of silly," said McIntire, who volunteers a few hours each week as vice president of the Friends of the Selby Library. "They obviously must have a reason for thinking of this."

But McIntire added that she has always viewed libraries as a basic function of government, and privatization "seems like such a dramatic change."

"Isn't there something in the constitution about having libraries?" she said with a chuckle.
Both McIntire and Forbush said there has been no hint that the county was considering privatization, even when the volunteers met recently with Sarasota County Commissioner Shannon Staub.

This story appeared in print on page A1