Boulder Library District Cuts Staff and Security Amid Revenue Drop

UPDATE: The Boulder Public Library District (BPLD) is making urgent staffing and security cuts due to a significant revenue decline. The BPLD Board of Trustees just announced that three branches—Meadows Library, George F. Reynolds Library, and the newly opened Gunbarrel Branch—will no longer have dedicated security guards. This decision follows the adoption of the 2026 budget during a meeting last week.

The BPLD is facing a staggering revenue drop from approximately $26.2 million to $21.7 million, a decrease exceeding $4.4 million. In light of this, the budget for 2026 has been set at around $20.8 million, resulting in a 44% cut in security services spending from $830,000 to $462,920.

David Farnan, director of the BPLD, confirmed that while security incidents have occurred—one at Reynolds and twelve at Meadows in the past year—overall incidents have declined. “Incidents are way down,” Farnan stated, noting that building use and patron visits have surged by 25-30% across the library system.

The elimination of security services at these branches will save the district approximately $367,000. Each of the Reynolds and Meadows branches previously employed one security guard. Farnan justified these cuts, emphasizing that spending nearly $1 million on security was hard to rationalize given the low number of incidents.

The BPLD, which previously ramped up security in 2022 following troubling reports of drug use in the main library, is now reconsidering its approach. Farnan remarked, “We made a commitment to ensure that nothing like that would ever happen again.” However, he indicated that security services could be reinstated if the need arises.

In addition to security cuts, the BPLD plans to eliminate about 11.5 staff positions, including full-time and part-time roles, resulting in a 4% reduction in staff salaries, dropping from over $10.45 million to just under $10 million. Farnan expressed regret over the layoffs, saying, “It sucks. You’re letting go of good people because the money isn’t there.”

Looking ahead, the Board of Trustees is expected to hold a special meeting on December 2, 2023 to discuss ongoing unionization efforts among BPLD workers. This movement aims to restore collective bargaining rights lost when voters approved the separation of the library district from the city in 2022.

As the Boulder Public Library District navigates these challenging financial circumstances, the community will be watching closely for further developments and the potential impact on library services.