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Milford Public Library outlines needs, secures $1.7M for HVAC and has funding ask "not specified"
Summary
Library director Leah Roselle reviewed library operations, community needs and capital priorities, reported $1.7 million secured for HVAC upgrades and said a specific city funding request amount would be sent to council later.
Leah Roselle, executive director of the Milford Public Library, presented the library’s annual report at a council workshop and described facility needs, programming and funding priorities.
Roselle said the library serves a growing Milford that has higher-than-average poverty and lower reading proficiency compared with state and national averages. "Reading proficiency is ... an indicator of the future health of someone's community," she told council, linking literacy to long-term social outcomes discussed in needs assessments.
On capital work, Roselle said the library has secured $1,700,000 toward HVAC upgrades through ARPA funds and a state bond bill and said she has an additional request pending that would raise the total. She told council she is not seeking large debt and prefers phased renovations as funding becomes available.
Roselle reviewed operations and partnerships: the library has seven full-time and seven part-time staff; the trustee board appointments are made by the county superior court judge to balance Kent and Sussex representation; library income sources for FY25 included roughly 18% state, 59% county and 3% city revenue with about 20% generated internally. She also highlighted program statistics: in FY2024 the library had 112,807 visits, about 17,000 checkouts and more than 18,000 program participants.
Council members asked for the library’s specific city funding request; Roselle said she did not have a figure at the workshop and would send the number to council later. No council vote occurred at the workshop.
