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Library network seeks restored contributions, expanded hours and digital‑literacy funding
Summary
The county library director reported sharply rising use across branches and asked the board to restore part of a prior contribution cut, to fund a library‑network administrator and to pursue digital equity grants and RFID upgrades for county libraries.
Yavapai County Library District Director Corey Christians told supervisors that branch usage, programs and digital‑service demand have surged in the last two years and asked the board to restore part of the affiliate contribution cut and to support a library network administrator and expanded branch hours.
Christians said branch visits rose from 82,000 to 116,000 and program attendance increased substantially in two years; circulation and school support work are also up. The district manages a 58‑member library consortium (Yavapai Library Network) that provides one‑card access countywide and a courier service that moves roughly 250,000 items a year.
Christians proposed restoring funding to affiliate libraries (the recommended budget increases the affiliate contribution and would reinstate roughly 25% of prior cuts), creating a library network administrator position to strengthen communications and system administration, and funding modest service expansions in Dewey‑Humboldt, Seligman, Beavercreek and Bagdad to add staff hours where use is growing.
He also described a digital equity plan seeking federal BEAD funding (the district asked for $250,000 in planning and implementation) and an RFID replacement procurement to modernize check‑out systems. Christians said the county will also host school‑library professional development and continue to operate passport services, which have proven popular in some branches.
Why it matters: Libraries are frequently the only local civic service center in rural communities; usage spikes and digital access needs put pressure on staffing, hours and technology. Restoring affiliate contributions and investing in digital equity were presented as ways to increase countywide capacity.
