The La Crosse Public Library will reduce its workforce again for 2027, its Board of Trustees said in a statement, pointing to the city's ongoing budget challenges and a significant cut in city funding for the library.
The board said it governs the library and decides how to use the resources it is given, but it must work within the funding level set by the city, and balancing the budget at that level required the cuts.
Board members said the decision was not made lightly. They said the library has spent several years cutting costs, restructuring operations and seeking outside funding to try to protect services, but the size of this reduction left few other options.
Because libraries are service organizations, the board noted, most of the operating budget goes to staff — the people who select and process materials, help with technology, support early literacy and lifelong learning, run programs, connect residents with community resources, preserve local history and keep the buildings safe and welcoming.
The board warned that fewer employees will mean less capacity overall. Leaders and remaining staff will try to preserve core services and limit disruption, but the statement said not every service, program or level of support can continue exactly as before.
The board thanked both the employees whose positions are being eliminated and the staff who remain, and asked the community for patience as the library adjusts.
