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Library board reports recovery from COVID, growth in student library cards and looming capital needs
Summary
The Oregon City Public Library advisory board highlighted a return to pre‑COVID activity, a student card program that added more than 2,500 cards, plans for book lockers and a mobile library, and staffing and capital challenges including an HVAC replacement estimated at over $1 million.
The Oregon City Public Library advisory board presented an annual update to the City Commission, reporting restored usage levels, a student library card initiative and capital needs.
David Goldberg, chair of the Oregon City Public Library advisory board, told the commission the library's activity is back to pre‑COVID levels. He said the library led a pilot with the school district so that "every student in the Oregon City public schools [with parental consent] get a library card," and that the initiative produced "over a 2,500 new library cards issued to students."
Board concerns and plans: Goldberg said the library has only two managers for more than 30 staff, which constrains scheduling and forces professional librarians to spend time on clerical tasks. He said inflationary pressures—higher staff benefits, energy costs and sharply increased ebook licensing fees—are straining the operating budget. "Publishers... license us to use ebooks and it's become incredibly expensive, 40 to 50 to 60 times more expensive than a hardcover book," Goldberg said.
Capital projects and fund raising: the board and library director Greg Williams said they are pursuing purchase of book lockers to enable after‑hours holds pickup and a mobile library vehicle in the coming biennium; Williams and Goldberg thanked the Oregon City Library Foundation and Friends of the Library for financial support. The board also flagged anticipated facility repairs and replacements—including an HVAC system expected within about five years—that staff estimated could exceed $1 million in coming years.
Staffing and outreach: commissioners praised expanded Sunday hours and staff responsiveness. Commissioners asked questions about district boundaries for the student card initiative; planning and library staff said the program covers students within the Oregon City School District service area and that other districts could emulate the model.
Ending: the presentation closed with thanks to staff and volunteers; there was no formal action on the report.
