In an effort to cut costs with a potentially shrinking budget, the Wareham Free Library will be moving around some collections to create an empty section of library it could share with another group.

Reference services librarian Deb Rich said the section of the library to be shared will be the back portion of the library, past the computers and nonfiction areas. Whoever moves in, Rich said, can help the library with its various building expenses.

“This was started under [former library Director] Denise Medeiros’ term,” Rich said. “We had WCTV come in to take a look at the space, but that never panned out. It makes sense for us to share the space, and that’s the most reasonable section of the building someone might want to us.”

But in order to do this, the staff must juggle around several collections.

The librarians have already taken out the library’s reference section, in order to shift the manga and graphic novels, which “circulate like crazy,” down to where more kids can reach them, and also try to “build up that collection.”

The third section of young adult fiction will take the place of the manga and graphic novels, and the adult biographies will be consolidated on the wall next to where the young adult fiction is currently housed, Rich said. All nonfiction books will be shifted up.

Though the empty space won’t be as large as the rest of the library, there would still be ample space for any group to work within it. They would also be welcome to use the rest of the library for their programs. Rich said she thinks the Council on Aging, for instance, “would be a great match for us.”

“They could do their administrative stuff out of here, as well as carry on programs, and do computer training for seniors here,” Rich said. “We could match seniors with teens – we could do all sorts of fun things.”

Rich said that, even when they do find an interested party, further details with regards to expense-sharing will still have to be hammered out. Not only will the expenses split be based on who moves in, and their budget, but the staff would also need to see what kinds of changes they would need to make, as well as how many hours they would need to use the space.

Of the costs running the building incurs, heating is most assuredly the highest, Rich said.

“We have to have the building at least partially heated, when we’re not here,” Rich said. “Not at all at a comfortable level, but not freezing, so that the materials don’t get damaged.”

If the library may legally rent out the space, Rich said, that could be a viable option, too.

“I don’t know what’s possible, in terms of renting as a public entity or town department – we’ll find out,” Rich said.

As far as the library’s budget goes, Rich said she met with Town Administrator Derek Sullivan a couple weeks ago. She said she wasn’t at liberty to discuss specific figures, but that Sullivan asked her to come back with three different, lower budget figures than what she had originally asked.

The library will be closed Dec. 21 – Dec. 27, so the librarians may move collections, in order to make the section of the library available.