Davis County library director says current fund balance healthy but staffing, Bountiful construction could change outlook

Josh Johnson, library staff for Davis County, told the Davis County Budget Committee on an October meeting segment that the county’s library system operates at lower expenditures per capita than neighboring counties and that the system currently has a healthy fund balance but faces potential pressure from staffing and capital needs.

Johnson told the committee that “our expenditures per capita are traditionally much lower than our neighbors,” and that he would present options if the county decides it wants a different level of service. He said the library has one new budget request this cycle related to construction costs at the Bountiful branch; other needs are expected to be covered within the library’s regular budget.

The presentation compared Davis County to nearby systems and noted that Utah County’s numbers are difficult to compare because that county’s library services are organized largely as city libraries and include a state-run bookmobile. Johnson estimated Utah County’s per-capita cost at about $29–$30 but said that figure did not include bookmobile costs. He also said Weber County spends more per capita on collections and facilities.

Committee members pressed Johnson on the library’s collections budget and the long-standing partnership with Weber County. Johnson said the library’s 2025 books and materials budget is about $1 million and that he was not requesting a change for 2026. He told the committee the system’s per-capita spending on collections is roughly 2.5 (units not specified in the presentation) compared with about 4.5 in Weber County, and said the library would like to develop a plan to move toward greater equity per capita. He added that the county increased its books and materials budget the previous year and that he would pursue diversifying funding, seeking grants and revisiting donation policies.

On staffing and longer-term costs, Johnson said projected staff-related expenses are the single largest driver of budget pressure. He showed a projection model that assumed staff costs could grow about 5 percent a year while property tax revenue might grow about 2–2.5 percent annually. "If it grows at 5% a year . . . and property tax grows at 2, 2 and a half percent per year, it's the same equation" that affects other county funds, he said, adding that those dynamics could lead to future tax-increase discussions depending on policy choices.

Johnson described the library’s fund balance as "pretty healthy" under current service levels but cautioned that planned capital spending for the current project will draw down capital reserves and that the capital plan effectively spends most of the fund by about 2030. He said the projected dip in the fund balance is largely due to staffing increases and the current Bountiful construction project; unexpected capital costs or new branches would change the outlook.

The committee discussed alternatives and community partnerships. Johnson said the library is exploring sponsorships and marketing partnerships but remains cautious about preserving neutrality and public space free of commercial advertising. He said the library plans to select a marketing group and evaluate whether sponsorships would fit into that strategy.

On outreach and service delivery, the presentation recalled that Davis County previously operated a bookmobile but moved away from that model in favor of smaller, distributed libraries. Johnson said the county has considered vans or trailers for remote service but that existing coverage is generally adequate. He also noted the emergence of community "little free libraries" (grassroots, honor-based neighborhood book exchanges) and said the county could offer limited support, such as a staff visit for kickoff events, though the county cannot steward donated materials that are not returned.

Committee members asked whether the library could incorporate a base library (discussed as a library on a military base) into the county system. Johnson said he is open to conversations but that accessing and staffing a base-run facility presents logistical and policy questions; any arrangement likely would depend on whether the base would provide revenue to the county in exchange for operational control.

Johnson said he would continue to report back to the committee, provide options tied to service-level choices and follow up on specific items such as the list of criteria for potential off-site locations related to the Bountiful branch work. The presentation included proposals to seek grant funding and to revisit donation and sponsorship policies as part of planning for collections and marketing.

The committee did not take any formal votes during the library presentation; members asked clarifying questions and heard the staff presentation before moving to the next business item.