Despite Middletown library branch's reopening, there's still no plan in place to save it from closing again

MIDDLETOWN, Ky. (WDRB) -- Sharon Deerr and her granddaughter were two of first people through the doors at the Middletown Library when it reopened Saturday morning.

"We are just so happy to have it back," she said, a book already in her hands.

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer's office abruptly closed the Louisville Free Public Library (LFPL) branch over the summer during a tough budget cycle. Metro Council managed to find the money to reopen it, at least temporarily, after hearing complaints from hundreds of people who frequented the Middletown branch. According to council data, the Middletown branch was at one point the most popular branch in the system.

After council passed the amendment to allocate $412,500 to temporarily reopen the Middletown Library, LFPL moved books and computers back to the branch, at the East Government Center, over the past few months. LFPL also had to hire enough staff to run the branch, which took time because previous employees had already been reassigned to other branches when the library originally closed. Saturday, the branch finally had enough staff in place to reopen for five days a week with more limited hours.

"I would probably hide if this library closed again," said Middletown Mayor Byron Chapman, who also attended the library's reopening Saturday morning. "It's that important to the community."

Until recently, signs on the doors of the Middletown branch said it's closed due to budget cuts, even though Metro Council restored funding for the branch. (WDRB Photo)

There's a chance, however, that the Middletown branch will close again.

LFPL says the Metro Council ordinance that reopened the library stipulates its operation is "contingent upon securing a signed partnership with the City of Middletown or another entity providing space at no cost or de minimis cost for the Library by December 31, 2019." So far, a cheaper option hasn't been secured. According to Chapman, he and others have located a potential site, but it isn't yet available.

"We're working very closely with Metro Government and [Mayor Chapman] to secure a mid- to long-term solution," said Councilman Anthony Piagentini (R-District 19), who interprets the Dec. 31 deadline differently than others. "What's required in the budget is that we have a plan, right. We don't necessarily have, 'Oh, there's the building, and it has to be moved into.' But we will secure a plan by December 31st. That much is certain. We have to do that."

The Middletown Library, in the East Government Center, will reopen Saturday. (WDRB Photo)

Regardless of interpretation, Lee Burchfield, the director of LFPL, says the ongoing budget squeeze makes the futures of Middletown branch and others uncertain, especially after already losing $900,000 worth of staff positions in the current budget.

"I never am going to say it's a bad idea to open a library, but the fact is that we don't know where the money to keep [Middletown] library open is going to come from," Burchfield said. "Until we can find a solution for the revenue problem we've got because of the pension issue, I think that uncertainty is going to remain."

Mayor Fischer had said reopening the Middletown branch "is not fiscally responsible and deepens inequities across our community" but said he had no choice but to comply with Metro Council's vote to reopen it.

Piagentini says there's enough money already in the budget to keep the branch open through June 2020. What happens after that date is still unclear, especially if the branch fails to find a long-term home soon.

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