County libraries ask supervisors for $80,000 in 2026 to expand joint programs and e-resources

Library directors presenting on Aug. 20 thanked supervisors for continued county support and asked the committee to consider increasing the county appropriation to the Columbia County Library Association from $70,000 to $80,000. Presenters Matt Pavloff (described himself as treasurer of the Columbia County Libraries Association and director of the Tinkerhook Library) and Thea Scoop (director of the Claverack Library and vice chair of the Columbia County Library) told the committee county funds support joint programming, digital resources and museum-pass programs used by residents across the county. "Each year for a number of years, the county has provided us with $70,000...and it's gone a really long way," one presenter said. The association said funds pay for technology labs taught by outside professionals via Zoom, NewsBank local-news archives, and small grants to individual libraries to help with e-resources. Staff said the countywide approach lets smaller libraries provide services they could not afford individually and noted a recent rise of about 2,000 new cardholders across the system. Request and rationale: presenters said inflation and rising costs for electronic subscriptions and programming make a modest increase reasonable; the association suggested $80,000 would enable more joint programming and support for smaller libraries. Next steps: presenters said they would provide a written request and are available to answer follow-up questions; committee members thanked presenters and indicated they would consider the request as part of budget deliberations.