The City of Escondido approved the outsourcing of its library system to a private company Wednesday.

City councilmembers voted 3 to 2 in favor of the proposal to hire a company to manage the city's library services.

The decision is expected to save costs. The City Manager of Escondido says the savings may reach $400,000 a year.

Critics protested the move leading up to Wednesday's vote. They say library services should be managed by the city. Privatization will affect public services, opponents said.