Boston Public Library closing four branches

The Boston Public Library Board of Trustees approved a budget plan Friday for the upcoming fiscal year that will close four of the 26 BPL branches in order to reduce a looming $3.6 million budget gap.

In the meeting, the board voted in favor of a $38.9 million budget that will result in the closing of the Faneuil, Lower Mills, Orient Heights and Washington Village branches.

“After much study, the board has come to what I deeply believe to be a judicious and prudent decision for the Boston Public Library in a difficult time,” said Board of Trustees Chairman Jeffrey B. Rudman in a press release.

BPL President Amy Ryan said the budget plan was a positive step in helping the library system move forward.

“While we understand the natural attachment that people have to the branch with which they are familiar, all of the efficiencies in this plan will lead to a more robust, sustainable and modern library system,” she said in the release.

The trustees also announced that they are planning to construct a new library branch in East Boston.

The BPL’s budget also includes major reductions in administrative services and support and at the Central Library in Copley Square, which will close two-thirds of the budget gap.

These cutbacks, combined with the branch closings, could lead to the elimination of up to 94 job positions in the BPL system. Sixty-nine of these are in administrative reductions and another 25 are the result of branch closings.

Despite the closures, Ryan said withdrawals from BPL branches rose 31 percent in the last three years.

“Today, half of Boston residents use their Boston Public Library card,” Ryan said. “With our resources aligned properly, we can reach even more. The plan approved today is a significant step forward in making the library the reliable and responsive institution that the people of Boston deserve.”