A video that Central Rappahannock Regional Library employees did to boost morale in wake of budget cuts has gone viral on YouTube.

Library employees from all eight branches serving Spotsylvania, Stafford, Westmoreland counties and the city of Fredericksburg created their own lyrics over the music track of Gloria Gaynor's 1978 disco hit "I Will Survive."

Janet McConnell, a library assistant, sings over the music track, and other employees lip-synch to her voice throughout the 4 minute, 44 second video.

The library staff also did a longer version that has a short skit with McConnell acting as an overworked librarian in an understaffed branch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8QjjKrEK7Y&feature=player_embedded

Both videos have been viewed almost 44,000 times, and NBC's "Today" show put a spotlight on the library system yesterday morning.

Sean Bonney, the library's graphic designer, said he saw a similar video of librarians singing to Lady Gaga before he came up with the idea of filming one for the library system's staff training day on Sept. 10.

He said the videos were shown to the entire staff for the first time at this meeting to cheer people up. Bonney said employees spent about 60 hours--off the clock--acting in the video that he recorded and edited.

"It was a lot of fun," Bonney said. "We love the library, we love our jobs, and we love every aspect of the profession."

Although the library got about 10 percent more in local funding this fiscal year, total funding is $1.3 million less than the $11.2 million it requested for this fiscal year.

Fredericksburg cut library funding by 5 percent and state aid dropped by about $123,000.

Caroline Parr, youth-services coordinator, said Spotsylvania County increased funding by 16 percent, and Stafford County increased funding by 8 percent, but it wasn't enough to cover operating expenses for the England Run branch opening Oct. 4 in southern Stafford.

There were no raises for the third year in a row, hours were cut for libraries in Stafford and Fredericksburg, and the new-book budget was cut by almost $300,000. Parr said most of the library funding comes from the four localities it serves.

"All branches are thinly staffed," she said. "Times are tight. We don't want to whine and complain. We were trying to be humorous about it. I don't think any of us anticipated the hits it got."

Most of the comments for the YouTube video have been positive and supportive of the library, which Parr said has boosted everyone's spirit.

"They didn't ask me to dance on the tables, but I had a good time anyway," she said.