Linda Kavanaugh, a volunteer with the Clyde Public Library, briefed the commissioners court during the July 14 budget workshop on the library’s state report, usage statistics and an accreditation milestone, and asked the court to increase the county’s annual operating contribution.

Kavanaugh said the library was accredited for state fiscal year 2026 and that Clyde’s service area population is about 11,642 people (the county’s total population was cited at roughly 14,000 during the discussion). She said the library holds roughly 16,715 physical items and participates in a consortium that provides access to about 253,385 electronic materials (ebooks and e‑audio).

Why it matters: State library accreditation carries requirements tied to local operating levels and services. Kavanaugh told the court the state requires a minimum spending level tied to the population served and that the library must meet a rule requiring a minimum percentage of materials published within the last five years.

Usage and costs: Kavanaugh said last year the library recorded 5,831 visits, 4,655 registered users and program attendance of 1,553; the library also reported 2,313 Wi‑Fi users. She warned that ebook licensing is costly — “an ebook is 65 to $80 for 2 years’ use for one of the popular authors” — and said those costs drove the decision to remain in a consortium. The library currently receives $5,000 annually from the county; Kavanaugh asked the court to consider increasing that to $10,000 to meet rising operating demands and maintain accreditation.

Next steps: The request was presented as part of the court’s annual budget review. The court did not take a formal vote at the workshop; commissioners will consider the request as they finalize next year’s budget after tax values and revenue projections are certified in August.

Sources: Remarks by Linda Kavanaugh, volunteer, Clyde Public Library; county budget officer summary (Sandra).