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Library staff and residents urge council to restore original Greenville County Library budget and raises
Summary
Multiple library employees, patrons and residents told council the system is understaffed and that many hourly employees are paid below a living wage; speakers asked council to restore the director's originally proposed budget and pay increases.
Residents, library employees and library managers urged Greenville County Council to restore the Greenville County Library System’s originally proposed budget and to adopt pay increases for hourly staff during public comments on April 22.
The push centered on staffing and wages. Heather Shockey, a 20-year librarian, told council, "Most library staff are not paid a living wage." She said an independent wage study completed nearly two years ago showed pay lagging comparable systems and that the board’s newer proposal would delay or halve recommended raises. Shanna Raines, information services manager, described libraries as "dynamic essential hubs" that bridge the digital divide and requested the council ask the library board to reinstate the budget submitted by the executive director on March 11. Lauren Conley, a resident and library user, listed services and programs at the Greenville Library and said the system is underfunded relative to population: "Although we are the largest county in this in South Carolina by population, registered library users, and annual visits, our budget and staffing does not reflect this."
Why it matters: Library speakers described programs that reach children, job seekers, seniors and residents without home internet access. Staff and managers argued that sustained services and the county’s planned Blue Ridge branch opening depend on stable staffing and pay. Several speakers provided specific wage details and a living-wage benchmark: Raines said a livable wage in Greenville County for a single adult with no children is $22.72 per hour; Shockey and others cited entry hourly starting wages as low as $10.83 to $11.74 in some classifications.
Council action: The library millage and budget ordinance was introduced at first reading and will remain on the council floor for further consideration. Council requested a copy of the original budget submitted by the library director for review before further action.
Ending: Speakers asked council to prioritize staff pay and to avoid cutting the library millage; councilors requested additional documentation from staff to inform the upcoming budget discussions.
