Grosse Pointe Public Library trustees outline 2024 highlights, digital use and funding concerns to Harper Woods council

Greg Bowens, a Grosse Pointe Public Library trustee appointed by the city, and Jessica Kaiser, director of the Grosse Pointe Public Library System, updated the Harper Woods City Council on the library system's 2024 activity, services and finances.

Bowens said the library's 2024 highlights include scholarships and awards; Kaiser described circulation figures, digital use and a newly adopted website accessibility tool.

Nut graf: The presentation emphasized both growth in digital services and a looming funding risk: Grosse Pointe library officials warned that elimination of Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) federal funding would terminate Melcat, Michigan’s statewide interlibrary loan program, and mel.org database services that residents statewide rely on.

Key details - Speakers: Greg Bowens identified himself as “your representative on the Grosse Pointe Public Library System” and noted he was appointed by the city; Jessica Kaiser spoke as the library director. - Usage and programs: The Grosse Pointe system circulated over 737,000 items in fiscal 2024, including about 313,400 downloads of e-books, audiobooks and movies. The library reported 355,200 website visits and more than 400,000 logins to library Wi-Fi. - Shared services and scholarships: The library supports a Wayne State University intern through the library foundation's Vivian McDonald and GPLF endowed scholarship funds. The central library won an AIA honor award for work by Quinn Evans (cited as Quinn Evans/AIA honor award). - Accessibility: The system has added Recite Me assistive technology on its website to read text aloud, change font size and color, offer translations into 100+ languages, and provide dictionary/thesaurus tools. - Funding and fiscal results: The library reported a balanced budget of about $7,700,000 (income and revenue for the year), an unmodified audit opinion, and an approved five-year union contract covering two staff unions (librarians and support staff). About 92% of revenues are funded through property tax by two millages; the remainder comes from state aid, fundraising and penal fines. - Funding risk: Kaiser said that if federal IMLS funding is eliminated it would end Melcat and the mel.org services. She said Grosse Pointe patrons borrowed roughly 14,000 items through Melcat last year—materials not available in the local catalog.

Audience questions and clarifications Residents asked whether Harper Woods residents outside the Grosse Pointe Public School district can use full services; Bowens and Kaiser said Harper Woods cardholders are entered into the Grosse Pointe system and are welcome at all three branches. A resident asked whether the library system includes three branches; Kaiser clarified the three branches are in Grosse Pointe Woods (Mac and Vernier), Grosse Pointe Farms (Kercheval) and Grosse Pointe Park (Jefferson and Alter). A council member asked whether the property-tax share (92%) refers to local revenue; Kaiser confirmed it does.

Why it matters The presentation shows a regional library system with substantial digital use and heavy reliance on local property-tax revenues. Loss of IMLS funding would curtail statewide shared services and databases that local patrons use, the library leaders said.

Ending: Bowens and Kaiser offered to answer additional questions and said they appreciate the council’s appointment of a trustee; the meeting moved on to consent items.