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Lake Agassiz Regional Library seeks county support as federal funding and wages squeeze budget
Summary
Lake Agassiz Regional Library presented its 2026 budget to the Clay County Board, citing staff pay increases, a projected $70,000 drop in state aid, and uncertainty over federal IMLS funding; Moorhead's planned new library/community center and negotiated headquarters rent were discussed.
Lake Agassiz Regional Library officials told the Clay County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 12 that the regional system faces wage pressures, a likely $70,000 reduction in state basic support for 2026 and uncertainty over the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) federal grants.
Library director Liz (full name not given in the packet) said the system operates 13 branch libraries and nine link sites across seven counties and that library use remains high: nearly a quarter-million physical items circulated in the first half of the year and double-digit year-over-year growth in e-book checkouts.
Liz said the regional board has moved to increase frontline wages after years of low starting pay; the library reported proposed 2026 starting wages of $15.65 for library assistants and $19.23 for library associates. The board in 2024 approved multi-year raises for 2025–2027, and reserves were used to minimize the 2025 levy ask.
Library leaders warned that a national defunding of IMLS could eliminate interlibrary loan and statewide delivery services, jeopardize the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library and remove several online resources used by schools and public libraries.
Commissioners and library leadership discussed the new Moorhead Public Library and community center, a multipurpose facility slated to open in 2026. The library staff said they are negotiating a lease for regional headquarters space in the new facility; staff advised the county that rent for that co-located headquarters is expected to increase (potentially doubling current rent costs) and is recorded under "other operating expenses" in the library budget. Library headquarters needs were estimated at just under 4,000 square feet to serve about a dozen administrative staff.
Commissioners thanked library staff and a county commissioner who serves on the library board for the work to increase wages and maintain service across the county’s rural branches, which the presenters described as vital community resources.
Library officials provided county commissioners with a copy of the system’s budget and strategic planning updates and said they would follow up with details the board requested (full-time employee counts, reserve totals).
