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Lincoln Library budget down overall after HUD grant; bookmobile and youth‑services renovation planned
Summary
Lincoln Library presented a FY26 budget that shows an overall decrease driven by completion of elevator modernization and receipt of a $1 million HUD community project grant for youth‑services renovation. The library plans a bookmobile, expanded summer programming and continued CoLab makerspace activity.
Lincoln Library managers presented their FY26 budget to the Committee of the Whole on Jan. 14, reporting a smaller overall appropriation after last year’s capital and grant activity and announcing several service expansions.
The library director (identified in the meeting as Miss Nguyen) said the budget shows a 12.20% overall decrease compared with the prior year, primarily because the elevator modernization project is now complete and was funded in the prior cycle. The budget continues to be personnel‑heavy — about 72% of Lincoln Library’s operating budget is in personal services.
A HUD Community Project Funding grant sponsored by U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin will support a planned youth‑services renovation; the director said that grant offsets previously budgeted capital for the children’s area, and the project will create more space for children and teenagers. The director also said the library expects to deploy a bookmobile in 2025, with routes planned to serve all 10 wards and a first‑day collection prepared.
Service highlights: the library reported larger post‑COVID attendance for summer reading (500 child participants; 1,938 program attendees for June–July) and said the CoLab makerspace completed its first full year of operation with ongoing programming. The library also launched a free “book vending” pilot that allows children to choose a free book via tokens.
Staffing and equity notes: the library reported workforce demographics at roughly 60% women and 40% people of color. Directors said they will continue recruiting to address national shortfalls in library staffing while maintaining services.
Ending: Library managers requested continued council support for the HUD‑funded youth renovation and said they will return with more details as projects and the bookmobile schedule are finalized.
