Library offers same services in tighter schedule

By ELIZABETH ROBERTS

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

June 26, 2008

Eight months after the Doreen Gauthier Lighthouse Point Library reopened in an expanded and revitalized space at City Hall, the city's library is bowing to budget cuts.

Nobody lost a job; however, the three people who quit during the more than nine months the library was closed for renovation will not be replaced. As a result, Library Director Doreen Gauthier said the facility has been forced to weigh cuts in programming against cuts in hours.

'We simply did not have the personnel to cover everything,' she said of the decision to cut operating hours. 'We did not have the personnel to cover 69 hours a week and continue to provide the level of service that we were providing.'

That said, Gauthier stressed that all the programming residents have come to expect will continue uninterrupted.

That means senior computer classes at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Wednesdays will remain. The evening classes will continue with a yet-to-be-determined schedule. There are Spanish-language classes, financial planning seminars and bingo for seniors, as well, not to mention the adult field trips to places such as theaters.

For children, story hour continues at 7:15 p.m. Mondays, in pajamas, with Deerfield Middle School Master Teacher Donna Beal, as well as Friday mornings for those too young to stay up late. The younger set, ages 18 months to 3 years, are invited for a 10:30 a.m. story with Gauthier.

Children interested in learning Spanish? Classes for age 7 and older are at 6 p.m. Mondays followed at 7:15 by story hour, at which pajamas are welcome.

'We did not want to give up the personalized attention for patrons,' Gauthier said. 'We wanted to continue to help patrons find authors and help them with book selection, offer assistance on the computers and, of course, the adult education classes. But we faced fiscal restraints.'

Hours are now 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday and Thursday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday.

Call 954-946-6398.

Elizabeth Roberts can be reached at eroberts@tribune.com or 954-574-5311.

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