News Release

06/01/2007
Library Extends Contract Negotiation Deadline

With only four weeks left until the end of the fiscal year, the Providence Public Library (PPL) Transition Committee has agreed to extend by another week the deadline for a signed agreement with the City of Providence for municipal library services. The City and the Library have been in contract negotiations during the past two months.

The goal was to reach some agreement by this time in order to provide financial predictability for the Library and to ensure that library patrons and staff are informed about neighborhood library operations for the fiscal year which begins July 1.

The Library had expectations that a signed agreement could be achieved by today (June 1). Most recent negotiations have focused on the latest budget/service model submitted to the City following the Mayor’s budget proposal of $3.3 million for library services.

“This is very disappointing. We were promised a counterproposal from the City this week so that we could proceed with efforts to reach a written and signed agreement,” said Robert Taylor, Library Transition Committee Chair. “However, despite this setback, I feel we should give the City the opportunity to reach an agreement with us by next week.”

The Library has been aggressively working to negotiate an agreement with the City, providing at least three budget models giving the City several options on how it can utilize its library appropriation for continued operation of municipal library services.

While the Transition Committee agreed to the one-week extension, it instructed the Library administration to be ready to implement a contingency plan that would enable the City to operate and keep open branch libraries if the upcoming week fails to produce a signed agreement. The contingency plan, which will allow for continuation of services at branch libraries, will include procedures for ongoing materials circulation and program administration, provisions for transfer or lease of buildings, ongoing employment of branch library staff, and responsibility for utility payments and vendor services.

Members of the Committee said it was imperative that steps be taken to prepare for any eventuality in order to safeguard the interests of Library patrons and staff.

“Even while we continue trying to negotiate a contract – which has been recommended by the Mayor, Neil Steinberg, and the Mayor’s Municipal Library Working Group – we owe it to our patrons and employees to have a plan in place so the City can, if it chooses, keep the branches open and operate them with as little disruption as possible if we do not have a signed agreement,” said Taylor.

The Library Transition Team will meet next on Thursday, June 7 at 4:00 p.m.