Library to start HVAC replacement in fall; Spanish newsletter and mobile services growing

The city library will start a planned HVAC replacement in September–October to avoid disrupting air conditioning during summer months, the library director told the budget committee.

The library director (first name given in the meeting as Jeff) said the HVAC project went out to bid and the low bidder came in below engineer estimates; staff expect construction in fall. The director also told the committee the library recently received two grants to buy privacy booths — a $10,000 award from Google for a multi-person booth and a state library grant for a single-person booth — and reported continued high demand for Spanish-language newsletters.

Other service highlights discussed: a new “book-mobile” library van in service since October (the director said it visits outlying Wasco County communities and offers hotspots, laptops and materials), a recently installed self-checkout unit (temporarily affected by consortium software updates), summer reading kickoff plans, and community-focused programs such as the Day of the Dead event that drew roughly 800 attendees.

The director told the committee he is budgeting for longer-term capital needs including an elevator replacement and additional roof work. Finance staff noted some library costs previously carried in the city budget will be shifted into the county library district budget (for example courier costs), which affects how the library operating fund appears in the city book but does not remove the county’s obligation for those services.

Committee members asked about budget carryover and contingency lines; the library director said the board is conservative but supportive of allocating carryover toward capital needs. Staff noted contingency calculations exclude transfers to capital and other interfund moves consistent with the cityfiscal policy.