• Cleaning services were canceled.

• An 18-month-old hiring freeze remains in effect. There are 93 library employees and 14 open positions.

Later said the 2010 preliminary budget estimate is nearly $750,000 less than the current year’s approved budget. Funding at that level would require the tough choices the board will be presented today.

“We’re trying to be good stewards of the taxpayers’ dollars,” Later said. “The next round of cuts are going to be board decisions and they are going to impact customers and staff.”

Later said the future cuts would be coming at a difficult time, because the need for library services has risen with the downturn in the economy. She said the library is seeing a demand from people who’ve lost their jobs and need a librarian’s assistance to put together résumés or apply for jobs online.

She said on a recent walk through the Anderson Library, “almost every single computer was being used.

“We know that we’re vital to the community. We appreciate how much the community is using us. Our summer reading program started June 1, and the building is crowded almost every day,” she said.

“I’m grateful to our customers and hope they will support us during this difficult time.”

Contact Dave Stafford: 648-4250, dave.stafford@heraldbulletin.com

Anderson Library Board

When: Wednesday, June 17, 4:15 p.m.

Where: Anderson Public Library, second-floor meeting room.

What: Board will consider a number of cost-cutting options in anticipation of declining revenue next year. No formal decisions are expected, but possibilities include closing the Lapel branch and suspending Bookmobile operations.