Library board recommends extending two temporary hires through Dec. 31 amid busy summer programs

The Spanish Fort Library Board voted to recommend extending the terms of two temporary library employees through Dec. 31, saying the extra staff helped sustain high summer attendance and supports plans for expanded after-school and adult programming.

The recommendation, made by a board member and seconded, will go to the City Council for final budget approval after the board's unanimous roll-call vote. The board made the recommendation during its regular meeting after hearing a report from Library Director Shaniaia Spencer about summer programs, volunteers and proposed fall activities.

"We had 760 people that signed up to be a part of our summer reading program," said Shaniaia Spencer, the library's director. Spencer told the board the library received 288 completed reading logs totaling 115,940 minutes of reading, which she said equaled roughly 80 days of reading by participants. She credited city staff, volunteers and local business partners for supporting events and prizes.

Spencer described a wide array of summer partners and programs, including Gulf Coast Dance Alliance, Jammin' Piano Kids from the Steinway Academy, Andrews Auto Care, Cadence Bank, Mobile Maritime Museum, Big Hit Sports Cards and Blakely State Park. She said 31 volunteers — most of them teens — supported summer activities and that the Friends of the Library continued fundraising and other support.

Board members pressed Spencer on staffing after she said the library had five regular staff members, including herself, and had added two temporary employees during the summer when two regular staff were out. "I would like to continue to have [the two temps]," Spencer said, describing how the additional help supported program delivery and new initiatives such as an after-school book club and expanded Saturday story time.

Board members and Mayor McMillan discussed funding. Mayor McMillan said the library budget currently included funds to cover the temporary hires through the end of the fiscal year and that the new council would decide ongoing staffing. "There’s enough money in that budget to sustain this through the end of this fiscal year, and then the new council will decide where you go," he said.

A board member moved to extend the temporary hires through Dec. 31 and to forward a recommendation to the City Council for budget allowance; another board member seconded the motion. The board took a roll-call vote and recorded unanimous approval of the recommendation from members present. The recommendation is advisory to the City Council, which has authority over staffing and budget approvals.

Spencer also outlined upcoming programming and facility plans: a low-fi "wind down" event on Sept. 18 at 4 p.m. for Self-Care Awareness Month; an author presentation by Paul Bruske on Oct. 10; a National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) presentation on Oct. 11; book-character painting on Oct. 13 (using donated pumpkins); and support for the Junior City Council's outdoor movie night on Oct. 17. The library will mark its 10th anniversary with events in October and a photo opportunity at the City Council on Oct. 6; the Friends of the Library will supply cake for that evening.

Spencer said she plans to repurpose the current "make-it" space into a small bookstore area (keeping "Make It Thursday" programming for older children) and that she had contacted a local moving group, Bookshelf Relocators, about shelving relocation. She asked the board to consider the staffing extension to maintain and grow community programming while the board and City Council consider longer-term budget decisions.

The board’s recommendation does not create permanent positions; it asks the City Council to consider budget adjustments at its upcoming budget review. The City Council will make any final determination about continuing the positions beyond Dec. 31.

Details provided at the meeting that were not specified in full included the exact fiscal-year end date and the City Council's final timetable for budget action. The board asked that the staffing extension request appear on its next agenda and instructed staff to document summer successes and lessons learned for next year’s planning.