Central Rappahannock Regional Library seeks increased funding for e-materials, expansion and mobile services
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Summary
Central Rappahannock Regional Library (CURL) executive director Rebecca Purdy outlined services for Westmoreland residents, requested FY26 budget support for collections, software upgrades, staff compensation and a mobile "library on the go" van, and described local branch initiatives.
Rebecca Purdy, executive director of the Central Rappahannock Regional Library (CURL), told the Westmoreland County Board of Supervisors that the library system's three county branches provide a wide range of services and asked for support for several FY26 budget priorities, including increased funding for collections and digital materials, software upgrades and a mobile outreach van.
Purdy said county branches hold roughly 44,000 physical items and that Westmoreland residents have access to a regional physical collection of about 460,000 items and a digital collection of about 1.9 million materials. She highlighted programs such as Grow a Reader story times, school curriculum connections, JobNow virtual career services, IdeaSpace maker services in Fredericksburg and a "library of things" that circulates Chromebooks, hotspots and radon or water-quality detectors.
Purdy described a forthcoming "library on the go" van intended to bring technology, Wi-Fi and a small collection to rural locations, assisted-living facilities and schools; the van launch was delayed for budget reasons but Purdy said the library hoped to deploy it by late spring. She also noted privacy pods installed at county branches for telehealth or private teleconferences and a new law-library collection at the Montross branch.
On FY26 needs, Purdy said publisher pricing and lending restrictions make e-materials more costly and that additional collection funding would reduce hold lists and wait times. She also requested critical software upgrades (including accounting software), and said staff merit and cost-of-living increases were under consideration in light of inflation.
Board members thanked CURL's representatives and noted the system's role in early-childhood literacy, workforce development and community connectivity. Supervisors asked for follow-up details on the van's routes and potential county support in identifying stops.
Ending: Purdy offered to provide handouts and follow up with scheduling and locations for the mobile service; the board expressed appreciation and said it would consider CURL's FY26 priorities during upcoming budget planning.