Library branch hours cut

The Westwood Public Library has eliminated Saturday hours at its Islington branch. The cost to run the branch Saturdays was $4,000, library director Tom Viti said, “not much, but an indication of how tight budgets are.” Along with other municipal departments, the library budget was level-funded the past two fiscal years, he said, and reductions were made in almost all library budget accounts to pay for necessary increases. Last year, as a result of level funding, Westwood failed to meet the annual financial standards set by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, he said. The library was granted a one-year waiver. Viti said subsequent budget increases again fell short of state standards for the library. In order to reach the required level for book expenditures, trustees “reluctantly” cut Saturday hours at the branch beginning this month, he said. - Michele Morgan Bolton