Last fiscal year, the libraries operated on $935,000 from the city, plus $88,000 in state aid. This fiscal year, which began July 1, the library will receive $281,666.64, about a third of what the library board requested, according to a letter Redd sent to the library's board of trustees last week. Part of that money, about $20,000, was already spent last fiscal year.
In addition, since the libraries cannot remain open five days a week on such limited funds, they will not have enough operating hours to be eligible for state aid, the board said.
In all, that makes for a reduction in funding of nearly 75 percent. The city will continue to foot the bill for employees' health insurance, but it is unclear how many employees will be left.
"During difficult economic times, this administration has to make tough but necessary decisions to find cost-saving measures to balance a budget that will benefit Camden taxpayers," Redd said in a statement.
City Council would have to vote to approve the final city budget containing the cut. Council President Frank Moran did not return a call for comment.
The library board discussed the budget cuts, which affect the fiscal year that began July 1, during a closed session Monday.
Afterward, library director Jerry Szpila said the system would start to absorb the cuts by closing every Friday for a year beginning in September. The library's 21 employees would be furloughed those days. No other cost-saving decisions were made.
Libraries in Camden, which have operated continuously since 1905, serve a different function from libraries in the suburbs. Patrons said the library is a place where poor people can do something productive, free - an alternative to being home or on the street.
There were more than 150,000 visits last year to the three branches, which host chess tournaments, literacy programs run by volunteers, and tax-filing assistance programs.
