Long Beach Public Library hours are no longer on the chopping block, as Mayor Rex Richardson’s latest budget recommendations Tuesday include funding to keep libraries functioning at their current capacity. 

The Library’s Creativity Lab programs and the Long Beach Police Department’s (LBPD) Quality of Life team were also included in the list of restorations in Richardson’s letter to the Budget Oversight Committee. 

“Over the past several weeks, significant community engagement has continued throughout Long Beach,” Richardson’s letter reads. “Through those conversations, it has become clear that even in this difficult budget environment, we must continue looking for responsible opportunities to protect the services that strengthen our neighborhoods and improve quality of life.”

Bay Shore, Burnett, Michelle Obama, Harte and El Dorado Library branches were being considered for reduced service hours. More than 40 residents attended the city council budget hearing on Aug. 25, most of whom advocated for library services and asked the City to keep the branches open five days a week. 

Staff at the Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library help Long Beach residents find specific books, help with creating an ID card and much more. (Samuel Chacko | Signal Tribune)

Local library hours were one of many cuts proposed for the 2027 budget year, as Long Beach tries to close a $58.2 million deficit. 

The mayor’s latest recommendations include $1.275 million in structural funding for the five branches, meaning the Library, Arts, and Culture Department won’t have to search for that funding for years to come. Previously, the Monday operating hours at those branches were supported by the Long Beach Recovery Act (now expired) and various one-time dollars every year.

The Creativity Lab will be funded for three years through a partnership between the City and the Long Beach Public Library Foundation, according to the mayor’s recommendation. The foundation has committed $250,000 annually for the next three years, or $750,000 total. This is in addition to the $1 million the foundation contributes to the City’s libraries annually. 

“Libraries are an essential part of the fabric of our community, providing access to education, technology, workforce resources and welcoming spaces for residents of all ages,” said John Mathews II, board president of the Long Beach Public Library Foundation, in a public statement. “We are grateful to Mayor Richardson for his leadership and for identifying a path that supports continued Monday access while creating an opportunity for the Library Foundation to deepen its partnership with the City.”

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Richardson proposed another $1.22 million to restore four Quality of Life Officer positions that were going to be cut. This team will remain at full capacity with eight officers, who are specifically trained to handle community safety and homeless residents. 

The Budget Oversight Committee will now work with City Manager Tom Modica to essentially find the funding to restore these items through General Fund revenue. 

There may be more restorations to come, Richardson hinted at in his letter, stating they don’t represent the “complete set of adjustments” that may come before the committee. Still at risk of being cut is a fire engine, hundreds of part-time parks employees, over 50 LBPD employees, housing and homelessness services and more. 

Long Beach has to pass its finalized 2027 budget before Sept. 13, and is expected to do so at the Sept. 8 hearing.