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<TITLE>State Library Closure Days Begin October 16</TITLE>
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<FONT SIZE="4"><FONT FACE="Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:14.0px'>Dear Library Directors:<BR>
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As you have no doubt heard, Oregon’s state government will close most agencies, including the State Library, on ten Fridays that fall throughout the current two-year budget period. The closures will require state employees to take mandatory unpaid furloughs on those days, saving Oregon’s taxpayers about $2 million a day. <BR>
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The Governor’s executive team has worked with the unions who represent state workers to agree upon the dates of the closures, taking into account the need to minimize inconvenience to the public. We have thus avoided the costly and contentious legal battles that some other states have endured when public employees have contested the planned furloughs and closures.<BR>
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Here are the ten state agency closure days between now and July, 2011:<BR>
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October 16, 2009<BR>
November 27, 2009<BR>
March 19, 2010<BR>
April 16, 2010<BR>
June 18, 210<BR>
August 20, 2010<BR>
September 17, 2010<BR>
November 26, 2010<BR>
March 18, 2011<BR>
May 20, 2011<BR>
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Be assured we will do everything possible to minimize disruption and hardship to those who rely on our services. We will have a plan in place to keep automated systems like Plinkit and OSLIS running. We will work hard to address any backlogs that may occur, and we will strive to help anyone who has suffered inconvenience because of the closure. We appreciate your understanding, and we eagerly await the return of normal economic times with a full resumption of our regular work schedule.<BR>
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Please let me know if you have any questions about this.<BR>
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</SPAN></FONT><SPAN STYLE='font-size:12.0px'><FONT FACE="Optima, Times New Roman">Jim Scheppke, State Librarian<BR>
Oregon State Library<BR>
250 Winter St. NE<BR>
Salem, OR 97301<BR>
503-378-4367<BR>
(fax) 503-585-8059<BR>
jim.b.scheppke@state.or.us<BR>
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<IMG src="cid:3337772870_1526112" ><FONT COLOR="#008000">Go Green, Keep it on screen - think before you print.</FONT><BR>
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