Early‑learning coalition tells Manaway council children lack library card access; council agrees to meet librarian

Heather Crockett, a staff member with the United Foster Early Childhood Coalition, told the Manaway Town Council on Sept. 18 that families in the town lack ready access to Brigham City library cards for children under age 5 and urged the council to pursue options so young children can check out books.

Crockett said the coalition ran a survey that drew 153 responses. According to her presentation, more than 73% of respondents said they do not use the bookmobile, 95% said access to library books for children ages 0–5 is important, and about 52% said they would be willing to pay an additional property tax to expand library access (the survey was taken before a recent school‑district tax increase). Crockett said Brigham City’s library budget is about $1 million and its bookmobile budget about $500,000; she said a countywide expansion of Brigham City Library service would cost roughly $319,000 and Manaway’s share of that estimate would be about $24,000.

Crockett described differences in local practice: some neighboring towns (Tremonton, Garland) offer free library cards to their residents; Brigham City currently charges a nonresident card fee (reported as $60 now and said by Crockett to be rising to $100). She said limited use cards are available to children enrolled in Brigham City schools (five books at a time) but that preschool‑age children not enrolled in district schools are effectively blocked from full checkout access.

Council members asked questions about the number of children affected and about alternative approaches such as a nonresident fee, grant funding, or targeted subsidies tied to Head Start or income eligibility. Crockett said Head Start does not provide library cards and that a focused small grant or an interlocal arrangement with Brigham City could be simpler than a long tax increase. She said the Brigham City librarian has reviewed this presentation and is “open to working with people.”

Following the presentation, the council agreed to have representatives meet with the Brigham City librarian to explore options and costs for extending children’s checkout access, with Crockett indicating she would attend and provide her survey and supporting comments.

Why this matters: early‑childhood literacy advocates told the council that families without regular checkout access are less able to build home book collections and reading routines that research links to kindergarten readiness. The council’s next step is a staff/council meeting with the Brigham City librarian to get a clearer cost and implementation picture.

Ending: Crockett said she would email the council the survey comments and noted the librarian had signaled willingness to discuss options; council members left the item open for the scheduled follow‑up meeting.