The Cuyahoga County Public Library (CCPL) system has furloughed or laid off around 300 employees in an effort to accommodate an expected loss in revenue from the coronavirus.
Eighty of the 300 staff were seasonal employees working through the school year and were formally laid off, according to Executive Director Tracy Strobel.
The remaining furloughed staffers were part-time workers or responsible for tasks that aren鈥檛 necessary while the branches are closed, Strobel said, such as re-shelving books. Those employees will likely be brought back once the library reopens, she said.
鈥淲hen it鈥檚 safe and sensible, we鈥檒l certainly be reopening, and we鈥檙e looking to be stronger than ever,鈥� Strobel said. 鈥淲e鈥檒l certainly be needed by the community.鈥�
It鈥檚 unclear when the libraries will be able to reopen, Strobel said. Remaining staff are working remotely for half their normal hours.
The staffing reductions are to accommodate an expected drop in revenue, Strobel said. The library gets a portion of its funding from the state鈥檚 General Fund, which comes from taxes. The state鈥檚 post-pandemic projections show a hit to that fund and to the library system of about $5 million, she said.
That鈥檚 about a quarter of CCPL鈥檚 revenue, Strobel said.
鈥淭he library is not immune to economic challenges,鈥� Strobel said. 鈥淲hen the economy suffers, our revenue suffers.鈥�
The library is usually a resource during economic downturns, Strobel said, as people seek help with finding new employment and getting businesses back up and running.
鈥淧eople often turn to the library to gain access to resources and services they might buy if they had more disposable income,鈥� Strobel said.
Library management is following state guidance on when branches should reopen, Strobel said. The libraries have been closed since March 14.
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