OPERATING hours at the Wingham Library are likely to be cut by an hour and a half each weekday after Greater Taree City Council voted to adopt its 2008-2011 Management Plan.
Council general manager Gerard José said a lack of funding from the New South Wales Government meant the council had to make cutbacks.
Under the plan, the Wingham Library opening hours will be pushed back from 9.30am to 10am and the library will close for one hour in the middle of the day to allow for staff lunch hours.
At an extraordinary meeting on June 25, the council adopted the plan but also resolved to examine the possibility of using the services of volunteers to maintain the current hours.
Traditionally, Wingham does not have as strong a contingent of volunteers as other libraries in the local government area, such as Hallidays Point.
Mr José said library staff are currently looking into the feasibility of volunteers covering the hours. A report will be presented to the council in the coming weeks.
Mr José said people interested in offering their services as volunteers should notify Greater Taree City Library manager Margie Wallis on 6592 5291.
Cr Mave Richardson said she would fight to maintain current the hours at the Wingham Library.
“I’ll be pushing because I know what sort of an impact it will have on people not only in Wingham but the whole of the Upper Manning, especially elderly people,” she said.
“No councillor wants to see services cut but the difficulty is in how to maintain service levels on lower funds.”
Cr Richardson said if people were unsatisfied with the management plan decision they should write to the general manager and the councillors and make their voices heard.