Sweet Home Public Library is asking voters to extend its operating levy by four years, approving increases in library service levels.
The levy, currently $122,384, expires on June 30. The levy request is for $207,696, an increase of 69.71 percent in the first year of the new levy. The levy would increase by a maximum of 3 percent annually over the following three years.
“Things are tough, and I recognize and understand that,” Library Director Leona McCann said. “I haven’t asked for a lot of money in many years, but we’re facing increases in every aspect of library work.’
Traffic through the library is increasing, both in circulation and computer users.
“My staff is running ragged,” McCann said. “We’re all part time, and it’s physically getting impossible to keep up with everything. It seems like we have evolved into this whirling vortex,. The stress level of my staff is going up. They can’t keep up with everything.”
The last time the library had a staffing increase was in 1988.
The increase will help fund an additional part-time employee and increase McCann to full time from 30 hours to help alleviate pressure on the staff and open the library on Wednesdays.
“I would go to full time, and part of that is because I’m trying to accomplish a full-time job on part-time hours and wages,” McCann said. “It’s just impossible.”
It also includes money to be set aside for expansion of the library building later, a larger book budget and an ending fund balance to help the library pay its expenses from July to November when the library begins receiving tax revenue.
Right now, the city shifts cash from the general fund to cover those months. that money is returned to the general fund at the end of the period.
To help cover increasing book costs and provide additional material, the library will increase its total book budget from $27,000 budgeted for this year to $33,000, up from last year’s $23,000. The new figure works out to be 57 percent of the library’s total materials and services budget. The last two years of the four-year levy will include $35,000 for books. The book budget is used to purchase books, subscriptions, videos and books on tape.
“People often come to the library on Wednesday, and the library’s not open,” McCann said. The library originally closed on Wednesdays to provide hours on weekends and evenings.
Now usage is up, McCann said. All four computers provided by the Gates Foundation are in use most of the time the library is open, and people want to see more hours at library.
Further, the library building is more than 30 years old. It was designed for 20 years, and maintenance costs have increased heavily in recent years. Building and grounds were $4,333 for 2001-02. In 1999-00, the cost was $1,658. Utilities are up fro $8,100 to $10,400 in the same period.
Historically, the library operated on an $83,000 levy from 1992 to 1997. During that time, the general fund provided some support to the library. The library was fully funded by a levy starting in 1997. That levy started at $112,000 and has increased by 3 percent per year. It is $122,000 this year.
The library circulated 42,926 items in fiscal 1988-89. In 2001-02, the library circulated 51,106 items. In July, the library circulated 5,218 items. The busiest month last year was July with a circulation of 4,879.
“I think I made a mistake in the past for not asking for incremental things,” McCann said. “I know this is an increase, and I know times are hard, and I’m leaving it up to the residents of Sweet Home to make a decision. All I can say is, it’d be a shame to lose this beautiful library that we’ve worked so hard to maintain and evolve into a center of education.”