GARY -- Trustees of the city's "People's University" chafed at the public library director's recommendation to close the Main Branch, 220 W. 5th Ave., in the face of a funding crisis.
The board had until March to decide which, if any, branches will be closed to slash its operating budget from more than $5 million to about $2.4 million annually due to property tax caps, low tax collection rates and other factors.
Sherri Ervin, who once worked for Gary libraries and took over as director in November 2008, said she chose the first of five scenarios after a report from a financial consultant last December and an architect's report from 2009.
"We know this (Main Branch) needs a lot of work," Ervin said after a policy meeting Tuesday. "It's just a very hard decision with us being in the heart of downtown Gary."
In December, the board's financial consultant recommended five scenarios, from closing the Main Branch and permanently closing the Tolleston Branch to closing all branches except the midtown DuBois Branch in 2012.
The option Ervin chose will save the system about $2.7 million off the top, but it will still leave the district at a deficit in the long run.
Board member Sadie Sheffield said the closing would create "another eyesore to grow grass around."
Trustee Paula Nalls said she worried most about layoffs and other impacts on employees by closing the Main Branch, adding she and the rest of the board should have been involved in crunching the numbers with the financial consultant even before the report was issued last month.
"I am not, and I'm just one individual, I do not think we should close any branches completely," Nalls said. "We still need to service individuals of Gary, and we need to just figure out another way."
Tony Walker, who is also running for a City Council seat, said he met with the financial consultant after the December public meeting. He also encouraged Nalls and others to meet with Ervin, the consultant and other staff members to go over the numbers and make other recommendations.
Ervin also said it is too early to tell what impact closing the Main Branch will have on employees. Even after a decision by the board, she and her staff will have to negotiate with the union to determine if and how seniority will be used in staffing decisions.