Treasure Island library latest victim of budget crunch

TREASURE ISLAND (Bay News 9) -- One Bay area community could start charging residents for their public library.

On Wednesday night, Treasure Island commissioners voted to stop funding the public library system. Now, each household could pay $100 per year to use the library.

Treasure Island's decision is just the latest in a string that illustrate pressure put on libraries by the budget crunch. Hillsborough County has already decided to prevent residents from other counties from borrowing books and materials, while Hernando County and the cities of Clearwater and St. Petersburg have reduced library hours.

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