In a recent meeting, the Vineland Public Library Board of Trustees voted to layoff 10 employees.

Library board members also voted to eliminate multiple “titles and positions” at the January 28 meeting.

The positions and titles of Part-time Security Guard; Part-time Library Assistant; Part-time Student Assistant; Part-time Student Assistant; Full-time Library Associate; Full-time Library Associate; Full-time Security Guard; Full-time Principal Library Assistant; Full-time Building Maintenance Worker; and Librarian 2 will all be eliminated under Vineland Free Public Library Resolution No. 2021-002, if implemented.

According to the resolution, the board voted for the layoffs because it “believes the conditions highlighted by Covid-19 support limiting the workforce of the Vineland Free Public Library, in part, for the safety of the employees”.

Resolution No. 2021-002 also notes “fixed overhead costs, which primarily includes salaries and benefits, represents approximately 98 percent of the budget before allocating any amount for the purchase of books, computers, or similar library resources”. This information was discovered during a Board of Trustees 2021 Budget Committee analysis.

This year’s layoffs are in addition to the board’s decision to permanently eliminate five positions, including library director, the head of the circulation department, and children’s librarian, in 2019, according to sources.

Opponents of this resolution say the layoffs will make it difficult for the remaining employees – which includes three full-time and two part-time staffers – to serve citizens who use the Library, with efficiency and care.

For more information, visit vinelandlibrary.org