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Other effects of budget reductions are: ♦ Fines are increased from $0.25 to $0.30. ♦ Room rental charges are increased. ♦ From July 1 to December 31, the Library will close on Friday evenings at 5pm. This will be reviewed in December. In response to a question as to why Friday evening, rather than any other evening, was selected for early closing, Juanita Tupper explained that the results of the user survey sent out with the March issue of "West Vancouver Report" which posed the question as to whether Thursday or Friday evening early closing was preferred - one of which was essential - were virtually a tie! The Library's computerised monitoring of usage indicated that Friday was the quietest evening of the week. ♦ The Library will be closed from December 24 to 31. Again, the computerised record of the number of loans indicated that this is a very quiet period. Steps are being taken to minimize the impact of the closures on staff. ♦ The book buying budget for 1997 is being cut by $25,000. The Memorial Library Foundation has undertaken to try to raise funds to cover this budget reduction for this year. The Board's main objective in facing the budget cuts has been to provide the best possible "package" of Library service to the West Vancouver community. This is the Board's focus, especially as we face severer cuts in 1998. A Library user survey will be conducted to ensure that the Board's measures do, in fact, meet Library users requirements as far as is possible. The Board published, on June 1, the first edition of their new newsletter entitled "Library Times". The Friends are grateful for the opportunity to provide an article for this publication, and look forward to contributing regularly to this broadsheet. The Library's Volunteers are also putting together their own newsletter. Treasurer's Report The key issue of Ron Lucas's Treasurer's Report was the presentation by Jack Mounce of an invoice in the amount of $5,045.93 for expenditures approved by The Friends for refurnishings now completed. The components of this "parcel" of expenditure had been approved at three previous meetings - $1,6000 for main hall furnishings approved at our September 1996 meeting; $3,000 for furnishings for the Musto Room approved at our January Annual General Meeting, and $500 approved at our February meeting. However, it was thought advisable to have a formal motion to approve this payment, which was duly proposed and seconded. Ron had made funds available for this purpose by calling in a term deposit on its due date of May 27, which also leaves a balance in our current account for upcoming expenditures, especially in regard to the book sale. Incidental expenditures for the period April 23 to May 28 included $198.36 for our new name badges, and $49.50 for newsletter postage. The complete Treasurer's Report is tabled at our monthly meetings for everyone in attendance and, should any member of the Friends not in possession of a copy wish to review the financial situation, the report is available from the Library's Administration Office.