Radford council approves trimming library hours amid budget shortfall after large public turnout

Radford City Council voted to reduce weekly hours at the Radford Public Library by four hours as part of citywide budget reductions, after two hours of public comment from library patrons and staff urging the council not to cut services.

The measure was introduced during a wider discussion of budget shortfalls. Council member Kelly (last name not specified in the public transcript) said she had reexamined regional comparisons and library spending before recommending a four-hour reduction. "I'm still gonna make the recommendation that we cut the library by 4 hours," Kelly said, citing her review of hours and per-capita expenditures.

The action follows more than an hour of public testimony from longtime patrons, parents, students and library partners. Elizabeth Sensibaugh, Director of the Radford Public Library, told council members the library serves a wide range of residents and that the branch has returned money in recent years to help the city's budget. "In '23, we returned over 117,000 from our budget. In '24, we returned over 88,000. And this year, we're definitely prepared to return at least 72,000 and keep looking to do our part," Sensibaugh said.

Sensibaugh also provided usage figures: "Last year, 83,000 patrons visited our library and they borrowed over 84,000 physical items," and said the system holds more than 116,000 physical items available to Radford residents. Dozens of residents and students described the library as a "third space" and a safety net. Carol Colby said, "I am beseeching you not to do that," and student speakers said reduced hours would remove a key study and safe space for teens and university students.

Council members framed the vote as one piece of a larger effort to rebalance the city's budget. Council member Seth (last name not specified in the public transcript) said the city faces multiple revenue and expense pressures and that "anything we do at this point is gonna have an impact." He and others emphasized the need to spread reductions across departments.

Kelly told council she had compared Radford's current 58 weekly library hours with nearby systems and examined per-capita library spending cited in the Library of Virginia's 2023 data. She reported Radford's expenditures were $61.02 per capita and said that placed the city near the top among the state's public libraries on a per-capita basis. Kelly said the research influenced her recommendation.

The council voted to reduce library hours by four hours per week and instructed library staff and city administration to determine which specific hours to cut to minimize disruption. The motion passed with four votes in favor and one opposed (names not specified in the public vote calls). Council directed staff to coordinate scheduling changes with the library director and return with operational details.

Council members and several speakers stressed that the reduction is intended as part of a wider set of cuts and that no single department was being singled out. Sensibaugh urged the council to consider state aid implications if deeper cuts occur: "To continue to receive state aid, additional loss of funding needs to be equitable across other departments," she said. Sensibaugh told the council the state aid board will determine eligibility for FY 2026 funding in June.

What this means: The Radford Public Library will remain open but on a slightly reduced weekly schedule while the council continues work on the FY-26 budget. Council members asked staff to prioritize minimal service disruption and to return schedule recommendations based on patron traffic and program timing.

Ending: Council members said they expect further budget votes in coming weeks and asked the public to stay engaged as the city finalizes the FY-26 budget. The council scheduled additional budget work sessions and asked staff to provide more information on other potential reductions and revenue options.