LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- There are signs posted outside the Middletown Library Branch saying it's scheduled to close this weekend. People are being told June 3 is the end, but a Metro Councilman has a plan to keep the branch open for three more weeks.
Earlier this week, the Middletown and Fern Creek Library Branches were tabbed as the latest casualties of Mayor Greg Fischer's budget cuts. Rachel Brown, an avid user of the Middletown Library, joined a lot of regular Friday to say goodbye.
"We knew that this was the last time we were going to be able to come to this location," Brown said. "We just wanted to have a special last time here, looking at books and taking a picture, just so we can remember it."
After the shock of the new wore off, Metro Councilman Markus Winkler started working on a plan to, at least, delay closing the Middletown Branch until June 24. That's when the new Northeast location opens.
"What we'd like to do is use volunteers to help in that ramp-down period by breaking down shelves, boxing up books," he said. "That would allow us to keep the library staff focused on staffing the library, and we could close much, much closer to that 24th deadline."
Winkler then took his idea to the man in charge of the Louisville Free Public Library.
"Thursday morning, after the budget hearing, Councilman Winkler and I had a pretty long phone conversation," said Lee Burchfield, director of the Louisville Free Public Library. "We are working as quickly as we can to sort of cross all the Ts and dot all the Is in hopes of being able to move forward with this."
Burchfield said he actually likes Winkler's proposal, though he admits it won't be easy. But Jerry Clark, president of the Friends of Middletown Library Group, said the move would make the transition to the new Northeast location more accommodating to Middletown's regular patrons.
"At that point in time, the new branch is open, and then they can decide if they want to move a little closer in town or do they want to go over to J-Town," Clark said.
It would only be temporary, but the regulars will take whatever time they can get.
"Any time that we have here is great," Brown said. "We would milk it for all it's worth."
Burchfield hopes to have an answer before Monday.
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