The La Jolla\/Riford Library\u2019s Saturday hours are safe for at least the next fiscal year thanks to donations from local philanthropists.<\/p>\n
Up until recently, La Jolla was among four city library branches slated to have its Saturday hours cut in half as part of citywide budget cuts, the others being in Point Loma, downtown San Diego and Rancho Bernardo.<\/p>\n
But Mark Mann, president of Friends of the La Jolla Library, which helps the library through fundraising and volunteering, told the La Jolla Light this week that the group secured funding through anonymous donors to maintain its Saturday hours. The Friends board formalized its agreement to use those funds to keep the local branch open at normal operating hours on Saturdays, during a private meeting on Aug. 19, just 10 days before what would have been the library\u2019s first day at half hours on Aug. 29.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re pleased that we\u2019ll be able to retain our Saturday hours for our patrons and for the people in the community we serve,\u201d he added. The La Jolla\/Riford Library\u2019s current Saturday hours are 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will remain that way through summer 2027.<\/p>\n
Mann declined to provide additional details on how much was raised and how many philanthropists were involved.<\/p>\n
The proposed reduction came during the city of San Diego\u2019s early attempts to draft a balanced budget amidst a projected $146 million deficit.<\/p>\n
In April, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria proposed cutting the La Jolla library\u2019s Saturday hours entirely.<\/p>\n
At the time, Mann expressed disappointment in having to \u201cendure further cuts to our already-reduced operating hours,\u201d but remained optimistic about the board saving its Saturday hours.<\/p>\n
Gloria revised his budget plan<\/a> in May to recommend cutting Saturday library hours in half at six city branches, including La Jolla.<\/p>\n The following weeks of debate and negotiations culminated June 9 with the San Diego City Council adopting a compromise budget<\/a> for the next fiscal year that includes moves to at least partially reverse cuts Gloria proposed. A day later, Gloria himself OK\u2019d the budget<\/a> despite some reservations.<\/p>\n