The Walker Memorial Library will no longer be open Saturdays due to layoffs by the city last month.

The library’s board voted unanimously Tuesday to support a new five-day schedule starting Monday.

“All of us agree that this is not what we want to do,” said Library Director Karen Valley.

“In the past few weeks, we have tried to maintain the six day-a-week schedule without success. Providing a safe and welcoming environment for the public in the library requires certain levels of staffing, which we don’t have since the budget cuts,” Valley said.

The cuts came when the city was faced with a $580,000 shortfall due to decreasing city revenues, mainly from excise taxes and building permits.

Nine city employees were laid off, including two part-time members of the library staff.

Valley said she is working on her budget for next year and is trying to restore one of those positions, which would allow the library to be open six days again.

For the time being, this Saturday will be the final Saturday the library will be open.