ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: November 9, 1995
Dept. File No.a:DIR:hl2:
collbmp.rep
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: Director, Vancouver Public Library
SUBJECT: Budget Management Program - Vancouver Public Library
RECOMMENDATION
THAT City Council receive the report from the Vancouver Public
Library related to the Budget Management Program.
BACKGROUND
In order to complete the final phase of the current Budget Management
Program, the Library is required to reduce the operating budget by
$264,200 for the 1996 budget year. The Library Board at their meeting
of October 24, 1995 approved the following changes:
1. Collingwood Branch
The level of service at the Collingwood Branch will be changed to
reflect the impact of the Renfrew Branch. Hours of operation
will change from 40 to 35 per week. Activity levels have fallen
(28% drop in circulation; 32% drop in reference) significantly
since the opening of the Renfrew Branch and a significant portion
of the savings will be transferred to assist with workload levels
in Renfrew. Some employees may be transferred directly to
Renfrew; others will be red circled and others placed as
appropriate vacancies become available. The service level at
Collingwood will be directed at children and seniors - the two
groups in the community who are least mobile and are seen to be
the current major users of the branch.
Savings for Budget Management $103,800
2. Research Planning Librarian
This position will be reduced from full time to 20 hours per
week. (Position currently filled on a temporary basis; no
employee will be displaced.)
Savings for Budget Management $19,300
3. Bindery
Through reorganization and reduction of work prior to the end of
the year, there will be a savings in this area. There will be
some staff reductions. The Bindery will reduce its quota of
rebinds on an annual basis to achieve this, so there will be some
degradation in the book collection over time.
Savings for Budget Management $44,000
4. Human Resources
Due to the internal reorganization within the department, savings
will be achieved. It is possible there will be some staff
reductions.
Savings for Budget Management $22,000
5. 37.5 Hour Position
Due to changes in our collective agreement, all librarian
positions are now hired at 35 hours per week rather than 37.5.
Some savings achieved in this manner have been applied to the
Budget Management Program, while the balance has been used to
support staffing needs at the clerical or librarian level in
various branches.
Savings for Budget Management $9,000
6. Other
There are other miscellaneous savings within the Library's
operating budget which have been approved by the Finance
Department. These savings do not affect service levels.
Savings for Budget Management $66,200
CONCLUSION
After considerable discussion, the Board believes that this program
best meets the needs of the system overall. While there will be
change in service level at Collingwood, it reflects the current usage,
is not irreversible, and maintains a service which can be adjusted in
the context of our strategic planning process. In this final phase of
Budget Management, the Board was very concerned that we had to make
changes prior to the outcome of Strategic Planning and therefore tried
to limit the impact on the system as much as possible.
All affected staff have been informed of this program, and CUPE 391
has also been brought up to date.
The changes take effect January, 1996.
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