Memorandum:
From: Mark
Arend, Interim Assistant Director
Subject: Report of the Assistant Director
The following is a report of System activities since our last meeting. I would be happy to provide further details at our upcoming meeting, or feel free to give me a call or send an email in advance.
This is a difficult budget year for all government agencies in Wisconsin. Local governments are being squeezed between reduced shared revenue payments from the state, strong public sentiment for no tax increases, and higher than normal anticipated increases for utilities and health insurance premiums.
The next two or three years will be difficult for libraries. Library use continues to increase; many of our libraries are seeing record levels of use and the rate of increase doesn’t show signs of leveling out. Increasingly technical-savvy patrons are demanding a broader range of online resources. At the same time some municipal officials may view libraries as a non-essential service that can be cut.
Although most counties are requesting county departments to submit reduced or no-increase budget requests the library directors in all counties decided to submit funding requests higher than last year for two reasons:
The current status is as follows:
Fond du Lac County – The membership agreement and plan were forwarded to the County Executive and the County Agriculture, Education, and Extension Committee. No official word has been received from either the Committee or the County Executive.
When Fond du Lac County joined Winnefox the libraries had for many years received a reimbursement of only 70% of their cost of serving rural residents. When they joined Winnefox the County agreed that we would work towards full reimbursement, increasing each year. Unfortunately, that plan has not been completely followed and this year the libraries received a reimbursement of 77.5% of their cost of serving rural residents. Had library funding increased at the planned rate each year they would be receiving 85% reimbursement this year. The county librarians decided to request an increase to 90% of their cost—a 22% increase in funding over 2003.
Green Lake County – For 2004 the Green Lake County librarians requested an increase of 5%, or $11,113 over 2003. This was endorsed by the Agriculture, Extension, and Education Committee and forwarded to the Finance committee, which unfortunately reduced this amount. The Finance committee has budgeted a reduction in library funding of 3%, or $6,670 less than 2003.
Marquette County – Marquette County librarians requested a 3% increase—$3,992—over 2003. The Rural Planning Committee endorsed the request and forwarded it to the Finance Committee. The Finance committee will be meeting in mid-October.
Waushara County – Waushara County librarians requested a funding increase of 3.5%, or $11,889, in 2004. This has been endorsed by the Library Services Committee and referred to the Finance Committee. The Finance Committee will be meeting in early October
Winnebago County – as reported at our last meeting, the Agriculture, Extension and Education Committee unanimously approved the proposed Agreement/Plan and funding request for 2004, which included a 3.5% increase. There has been no further action to report.
LSTA Grants:
This was an extremely successful program. Over 1,800 readers and their families spent the afternoon of Saturday 16 August at the EAA AirVenture Museum. In addition to all the museum exhibits and activities the readers made hot air balloons, listened to singer Randy Peterson, and got a lunch.
Most expenses were paid by donation or by four member libraries. The EAA AirVenture Museum was especially generous, charging us much less for the use of the Museum than most organizations are charged. Fond du Lac, Menasha, Neenah, and Oshkosh libraries donated funds to cover most of the other expenses. The response was so positive that we are considering a similar program next year. You can see some pictures at http://extranet.winnefox.org/services/srp/photos2003.html
Staff Arrivals and Departures:
Nothing to report here.