This summer, libraries across Mount Vernon will have to cope with fewer staff members, reduced hours and curtailed spending on their collection. The budget cutbacks culminated in late April when the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a $3 billion budget that was about $22 million less than the budget adopted by county supervisors last year. Sherwood Regional Library will be hit the hardest branch in Mount Vernon, losing 18 positions and cutting its magazine budget from $11,000 to $6,000.

"It could have been much worse," said Denise Morgan, director of the Sherwood branch. "We’ve seen branches closing in Detroit and Philadelphia, so I think it shows commitment from Fairfax County that we haven’t seen any branches shut down."

Overall, the county library system will cut about 15 percent from $33 million last year to $28 million this year with the collections budget reduced from $4 million to $3 million. That means about 3.5 million fewer books and 70,000 fewer magazines. Last week, the system laid off about 300 "page" positions throughout the county — the part-time employees who are responsible for returning books to the shelves and keeping the books in order. Although the county plans to eventually rehire about 150 page positions, that won’t happen until May 23. In the meantime, administrators and full-time employees will be shelving books and keeping the collection in order for about two weeks.

"We’ll all have arms like Michelle Obama," joked Morgan. "I suppose that’s the silver lining."

THE BUDGET CUTBACKS come at a time when the library system is struggling to remain relevant in an increasingly digital environment. Once thought to be a warehouse of books, libraries have taken on a vastly different mission in the last 15 years. Now libraries are full of computer terminals, and one of the most important functions of the library system is giving Internet access to people who do not own computers. Readings programs offer literacy to children and newspaper subscriptions are used regularly by a number of patrons.

"Customers are why we are here," said Jennifer Koenig, assistant branch manager of the Kingstowne Library. "But change is a part of any workplace. Any staff member who leaves will be greatly missed."

Library officials were quick to point out that eliminated positions did not necessarily mean that individual people would be laid off. At the Martha Washington Library, for example, the branch eliminated three page positions and four other part-time positions. But several of those people found other jobs within the system, and one person quit. So the branch will only have to actually lay off two pages. For library users, the biggest change will be the reduced hours.

"A lot of people who come here after work will have to come sooner," said Babara Rice, director of the Martha Washington branch. "These budget cuts have been so stressful that we’ve really been leaning on each other to get through this."

THE CUTBACKS will be distributed equally throughout the system, with all the branches eliminating positions and slashing hours of operation. In Mount Vernon area, the Martha Washington Library will lose seven employees; the Lorton branch will lose seven employees; and the Kingstowne branch will lose nine people. Branches will close earlier, wait times will increase for bestsellers, magazine subscriptions will be cancelled and fewer new materials will be purchased. In an open letter to customers, Library Director Edwin Clay detailed the budget reductions.

"Fairfax County Public Library will continue to offer excellent customer service, more than 2.5 million items, access to public computers and free wireless service in all branches along with many other customer-focused services and programs in our branches and on the Web," wrote Clay in a letter dated May 1.

During the early stages of budget negotiation, some were advocating that the libraries close one day of the week. Yet as the discussions continued into the spring, a consensus emerged that spreading reduced hours throughout the week would be preferable. In the end, each library will be closing an hour early most days with three hours earlier on Thursdays.

"With summer programs coming, we are going to be doing the best we can to let people know about the new hours," said Mary Mulrenan, marketing director for the Fairfax County Public Library. "In addition to losing people this means scheduling will be more difficult for those who remain."