St. Charles County Library CEO responds to outcry on potential closures
ST. CHARLES, Mo. – Three local libraries are at risk of closing in the St. Charles City-County Library District.
After a series of recent discussions and community outcry, two officials have responded with remarks on that possibility, saying “We fell short of communicating the seriousness of our situation.”
Jason Kuhl and Stacia Alvarez, the CEO and Board President of the St. Charles City-County Library District, released a statement on Thursday stating that the district officials are “committed to making a decision that is based on both the district’s financial future and meeting the diverse needs of those in our community.”
The three libraries at risk of closing are McClay Library in St. Charles, Kisker Library near Weldon Springs, and Deer Run Library in O’Fallon.
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The St. Charles City-County Library hosted a special meeting last Friday, during which the proposal came forward to shut down the three libraries. Many residents have voiced their frustrations and concerns about the potential closures over the past week, some even organizing protests.
According to the statement, the district’s “operational expenses have outpaced annual revenues since 2008.” Officials say that inflation, changes in patron preferences, and rising costs due to electronic books are partly to blame for the projected budget shortfall.
In the meantime, Kuhl and Alvarez announced that any action following a proposal to close three libraries at a May 17th board meeting will be postponed “for at least 30 days.”
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“We are committed to doing better moving forward,” said the statement. Officials said they will take a deeper look at expenditures to determine opportunities to cut costs and host a series of listening sessions over the next several weeks.
Officials tell FOX 2 they still want to hear from residents, asking them to email the board at board@stchlibrary.org with their concerns.
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