Boulder Library District Cuts Security and Staff Amid Revenue Drop

BREAKING: The Boulder Public Library District (BPLD) is making urgent staff and security cuts due to a significant revenue decline. These changes will affect multiple locations, including the Meadows Library, George F Reynolds Library, and the newly opened Gunbarrel Branch, all of which will no longer have dedicated security guards.

This decision comes as the BPLD’s budget drops from approximately $26.2 million to $21.7 million, a staggering decrease of over $4.4 million. The Board of Trustees officially approved the budget at a meeting last week, highlighting a 44% reduction in security services spending—from $830,000 to $462,920.

David Farnan, BPLD director, stated that incidents at these branches have been low, with only one security issue at Reynolds and twelve at Meadows over the past year. “Incidents are way down,” Farnan remarked, noting a 30% decrease in total incidents at the main library. He justified the cuts by emphasizing the need to allocate funds more effectively, considering the low incident rate.

The cuts will save the BPLD about $367,000, with security services contracted out. In 2022, security was increased after the main library gained national attention for a troubling incident involving meth detection in its bathrooms. Farnan reassured the public, stating, “We made a commitment to ensure that nothing like that would ever happen again.”

Alongside the reduction in security, BPLD is also eliminating 11.5 staff positions, both full-time and part-time. While many of these cuts involve vacant roles, two employees have already been laid off. The total salary budget will shrink from over $10.45 million to just under $10 million, marking a 4% salary reduction. Farnan expressed his disappointment: “It sucks. You’re letting go of good people because the money isn’t there.”

In a related move, the Board of Trustees has approved plans to transition the custodial contract to in-house services, which will create approximately four new custodial positions. This decision is part of a broader effort to improve service quality while managing costs.

These staffing cuts come amid an ongoing unionization effort among BPLD workers, aimed at restoring collective bargaining rights lost when the library district separated from the city in 2022. A special Board of Trustees meeting is scheduled for December 2, 2023, to discuss the unionization efforts.

As the BPLD navigates these financial challenges, community members are urged to stay informed about the impacts of these decisions on library services. The situation remains fluid, and further changes may occur if revenue conditions do not improve.

Stay tuned for the latest updates on this developing story.