LIVERMORE -- mercurynews.com***The much-loved Springtown Library got a reprieve Monday when Livermore's leaders agreed to keep it open -- but only for eight hours per week.
Council members in September voted to shutter the 24-year-old branch in North Livermore, one of three library locations in the city. The cut was necessary to help bridge an approximately $1.5 million budgetary deficit resulting from diminished sales and property taxes and other factors, officials argued at the time.
But the move outraged residents, hundreds of whom have signed a petition during the past few weeks urging the city to find an alternative source of savings.
On Monday, council members said they were willing to do just that.
In a unanimous vote, they agreed to allow a librarian from the main Civic Center facility on South Livermore Avenue to be reassigned to Springtown for eight hours per week so that that site can remain open -- albeit in a substantially reduced capacity. The particular day or days that Springtown will be open have not been determined, said city officials, who, in response to some speakers' requests, told meeting attendees they would consider spreading the hours out over multiple days a week.