Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Library Annual Report topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Liberty Lake library reports rising use but says space, collection and technology shortfalls constrain services
Summary
The library’s annual report to the board showed program attendance rose to 12,919 in 2024, computer sessions increased sharply, and the physical collection falls about 3,000 items short of recommended levels for the city’s population; staff flagged parking, meeting-room capacity and limited public computers as operational constraints.
Library Director Jandy told the Liberty Lake Library Board that program attendance and electronic use have risen, while the library’s physical collection and facility capacity lag behind community demand.
“Attendance for 2024 was 12,919. It’s up 4,000 from last year,” Jandy said, citing the year’s total program attendance and higher story-time participation. She said the library offered 306 free programs in 2024 and that volunteers contributed 688 hours, while the Teen Advisory Group provided 255.5 hours.
Jandy said the library’s physical collection is roughly 3,000 items smaller than recommended for the city’s current population. “Our current population is 14,100. So our the number of books that we should be providing to our community right now are at 28,000. So currently, we are 3,000 below, what our usage, what our collection size should be for a community of our size,” she said. The director said constrained shelf space at the existing facility limits growth: “We are basically at the tipping point of if we bring something in, we have to get rid of something.”
On technology and workspace, the report noted computer use climbed to 3,237 sessions in 2024 from 1,805 in 2023, but the library has only four public computers and insufficient power outlets for patrons’ devices. “If someone needs to make a phone call to your bank, like, everyone can hear your conversation,” Jandy said, describing privacy and seating limits; staff recommended doubling available public computers in a new space.
Staff also described meeting-room and parking constraints during popular events: the meeting room’s capacity of 39 often falls short of story-time attendance that can top 70 participants, and patrons park in nearby lots and on adjacent streets. Jandy said the library lacks a dedicated teen space and is planning more consistent weekly after-school programming this fall to serve school-aged children.
Budget figures presented in the report show the library’s 2024 operating budget was $716,000 and expenditures were about $673,000; fines and fees produced roughly $2,900. Jandy also summarized new and returning services including proctoring, one-on-one tech appointments and mobile printing.
Mikaela, the adult and teen librarian, resumed tech help offerings and one-on-one appointments, while Erin, the children’s associate, will shift to part-time and the library has posted a full-time children’s librarian position with a target hire in August so the new hire can “hit the ground running in September” for back-to-school programming, Jandy said.
The board asked about Juneteenth and displays; Jandy said the library has picture books, chapter books and adult history titles for the holiday and uses themed displays. Staff said they will present the annual report to City Council next week and continue to highlight facility constraints as the library project moves through design and public engagement.
