CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s funding for 2010 will be reduced an additional $2 million before the end of June. Library officials said they will have to close 12 branches on April 3 because of the cuts.

The branches closing are: Mint Hill, Independence Regional, Morrison Regional, Scaleybark, Carmel, Belmont, Sugar Creek, Myers Park, Hickory Grove, Cornelius, Beatties Ford and Checkit Outlet.

The $2 million cut comes on the heels of a $4 million reduction in county funds since January 2009.

A library spokesperson said the books from the affected branches will be filtered to other libraries, sold to raise money for the library or donated to charities. The equipment at the branches may also end up at an existing library, be sold for profit or donated.

Library leaders said they will meet soon to determine the fate of the programs, classes and events offered at the branches set to close in two weeks.

In addition to the closings, nearly 150 library employees countywide will get laid off.

Eyewitness News talked to a former library employee, Seth Allen, who said library and county leaders should have made cuts starting at the top.

“It’s not fair that so many administrators get compensated well and yet the front line staff are the ones that get cut," Allen said.

Leaders said they won't determine the fate of the buildings that house the libraries slated to close until after the 2011 budget is finalized in May. The county will still be responsible for maintaining the buildings until a decision is made.

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Click the blue bullets to see library branch locations.

View Library Branch Locations in a larger map

Branches to be closed:

• Mint Hill
• Independence Regional
• Morrison Regional
• Scaleybark
• Carmel
• Belmont
• Sugar Creek
• Myers Park
• Hickory Grove
• Cornelius
• Beatties Ford
• Checkit Outlet

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Library board members voted on the branch closings Thursday afternoon.

For more information on the library’s plans for dealing with the cuts, click here.

UNC Charlotte professor Susan Harden said she begged library leaders to give her time to try to raise money to save the libraries.

"I feel terrible," she said. "My heart's broken."

Harden and other are trying to raise money to save jobs and branches. If you’d like to donate to the library system, click here.

The news came as a shock to many people.

Sharon Lynch said she almost cried when she heard Hickory Grove, which opened just last month, will close.

"Unbelievable," she said. "I don't believe that. It's a great library. Everything about it is perfect."

So many people flooded the library's Web site after the announcement that it crashed, but is back up and running now.

Library leaders said they will still have to spend some money on maintenance, security and utilities for the closed branches. Two of the closing branches -- Carmel and Check It Out -- are leased, so they will have to decide whether to keep renting or end the leases.

•VIDEO: County Announces 12 Library Branches Will Close

The cuts in the library system come as the county and other public agencies are facing new, tighter budgets because of flat sales and property tax revenues.

"The problem is that the recession was a lot deeper than anyone expected," said Dr. John Connaughton, an economic professor at UNC Charlotte. Connaughton said he believes it will be 2011 before tax revenues are up enough for governments to begin rehiring.

To see the county’s full budget report, click here.