"YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- The Lowellville and North Lima branch libraries of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County system will close their doors at the end of April, officials reported today. The last day of service at the Lowellville branch will be April 28 and at the North Lima branch April 29.Notices of closings will be posted at these branches beginning today, and patrons are encouraged to use other libraries after those closing dates. Book drops will be placed at both branches and patrons can continue to return their library books in these drops for a temporary period ending June 1. These book drops will be emptied regularly so that materials can be checked in promptly and patrons credited with the return of their borrowed books. Staff members will be relocated to other libraries. There will be no layoffs as a result of these closings, according to Library Director Carlton A. Sears."No decisions have yet been made as to the disposition of the property," Sears says. "It is the library's hope and intention to see that these buildings are put to a good productive use that is appropriate for the community. This will be a matter of Board discussion in the coming months."As part of LIBRARY 2011, the library's seven-year improvement plan, several underused libraries will be closed or consolidated into larger libraries. Earlier this week, the Library announced that the branch located in New Middletown will move to a new, larger location more than three times the size of its current home and that the East branch project will begin with choosing of an architect and location. The actions are based on recommendations from the strategic planning process, facilitated by nationally-recognized library consultants Himmel and Wilson, which included research, discussion and public input. Many factors were considered, including circulation, population trends, cost of operation, and actual patterns of library use, Sears says.Studies show that residents of those communities are using larger branch libraries nearby. Lowellville, built in 1969, has seen its circulation drop almost 54% in the past six years.Patrons are encouraged to use nearby branches: Struthers, which is 3.5 miles away; Poland, 4.7 miles; Campbell, 4.9 miles; Brownlee Woods, 5.3 miles; or Main, 7.8 miles.North Lima, built in 1967, has seen circulation drops of about 30% since 1998. Nearby branches include Boardman, 5 miles; New Middletown, 6.3 miles ; Poland,, 6.4 miles; Greenford, 7 miles; and Main, 11 miles."Closings are decisions which are not easy to make," Sears concludes. "Since many of our branch libraries opened, many years ago, there have been changes in our county, our libraries and in the people that use them. Now, many years later, we see the library must also make changes, and sadly, some of those changes and decisions are complex and clearly difficult.""