When the Douglas County Library system bids farewell to one of its librarians today, a sense of uncertainty is likely to be laced with the usual good wishes for a departing co-worker.

Rose Peda is scheduled to end her duties this afternoon after supervising the county's 10 branch libraries for five years. Peda has accepted a position as director of the Sweet Home Public Library and is set to begin that job Monday.

Peda will not be replaced. The vacancy represents yet another cut for a library system that has suffered funding reductions since 2008 and that administrators aren't sure will be operating next year.

Peda's job duties will now be divided among a handful of staff members. The library lost its ability to offer full-time positions in July and has been operating with part-time employees and volunteers since then.

The unavailability of full-time work, as well as the uncertainty over the Douglas County Library's future, prompted Peda to begin applying for full-time positions in August. She was one of 14 candidates for the Sweet Home job.

Peda, who has a master's degree in information and library science, said the offer presented her with a difficult decision. Her co-workers here are like family, she said.

“I'm excited to begin and learn, and to expand on the services that they are doing so well in Sweet Home, but I'm also sad to leave all the wonderful, caring and supportive people in the Douglas County system to the staff,” said Peda. “They are a great group of people.”

Peda's new position offers not only full-time work, but also the security of stable funding due to a five-year levy recently approved by Sweet Home voters.

That stability is lacking for those Peda leaves behind. Douglas County's library system derives about 90 percent of its income from county funding threatened by the expiration of the federal timber safety net in June 2012. The program must be renewed by Congress to continue providing payments to counties with federal forest lands in lieu of timber harvest receipts.

Douglas County Library Director Max Leek said the uncertainty of funding makes it difficult not only to retain employees, but also to recruit them.

“We cannot offer the full-time position so we will try and cover as much as we can,” he said.

As the extension services librarian, Peda's duties included overseeing communication between the headquarters library in Roseburg and its 10 branches on circulation, technical and public services.

While the public may not notice a huge difference in services following her departure, the continued loss of staff can't help but have a cumulative effect, according to former Douglas County Library board member Bob Heilman.

“We're down to bare bones and now we're losing the bones, like Rose,” said Heilman, who is now a member of the Library Futures and the Save Our Libraries Political Action committees.

Limited hours for employees have resulted in other losses, such as Becky Chappell, the assistant children's librarian. Chappell, whose last day was Thursday, took a position with Umpqua Community College.

“It's a pretty dire situation really,” said Heilman. Without adequate funding, the system is likely to be shut down next July, he said. Until then, “it will shrink before it disappears entirely,” Heilman said.

Leek characterized the uncertainty as a waiting game until budget planning begins early next year. “There is no plan to close and no plan to open,” he said.

Meanwhile, Leek said the library will not cut any more operating hours and hopes to increase volunteer support.

Furthermore, efforts are under way to inform area residents and get a measure on the May ballot that, if passed, would create a taxing district to keep libraries open.

“We got to give it a try; if nothing happens, we'll have nothing, and I just can't imagine that,” Heilman said.

Leek said he believed the people of Douglas County regard libraries as essential enough to pay a tax to support them.

“But there may be a rough patch — rougher than this (in the interim),” he said.

Peda said she hopes citizens realize what gems community libraries are and recognize the value of their services. She said she'd like to see the Douglas County system restored to more operating and employee hours.

“There are very bright and dedicated staff members here and it would be a shame to lose them,” Peda said.

While Peda is saddened by having to leave Roseburg, she said she is “not too far and will visit.”

“The people in Sweet Home are lucky,” Leek said.

Brittany Ann Arnold of Roseburg is a freelance writer. She can be reached at brittany.ann.arnold@gmail.com.