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Indianapolis Public Library presents 2026 budget with fund‑balance drawdown and requests clarification
Summary
Library officials presented a $89.4 million proposed 2026 budget that relies in part on fund balance to cover an operating gap; councilors asked for corrected slides and clearer five‑year projections before final approval.
Gregory Hill, CEO of the Indianapolis Public Library, and Chief Financial Officer Lalita Campbell presented the library’s proposed 2026 operating budget to the Municipal Corporations Committee on Sept. 17, outlining capital priorities, branch performance and a projected operating deficit that would be met with the library’s fund balance.
The library proposed a 2026 budget of $89,394,474 — a roughly 4.64% increase overall from the current fiscal year — with operating expenses concentrated in personnel. Campbell said personnel costs account for about 65% of expenses and the library adopted the Good Wages Initiative earlier this year. The proposed operating budget shows a gap between revenues (about $55.6M) and expenditures (about $67.2M) that the library plans to cover from reserves.
Why it matters: The library operates 26 branches and an expanding SHARE system that now serves 86 schools; decisions about fund balance and payroll affect services, security and facility upkeep at branches across the city.
Highlights and concerns - New and renovated branches: Glendale re‑opened in March 2024 and recorded a roughly 54% increase in visits in its first year compared with the previous location; Pike and Nora branches reopened recently and show positive usage trends. - SHARE system: The library has added schools to its SHARE program and now serves 86 schools, but officials said limited sorting capacity, drivers and a need to renovate the library services center prevent adding more schools until infrastructure is expanded. - Security and housekeeping costs: Several branches have part‑time library security assistants (LSAs); the central library currently has full coverage (55 hours) with about 13 LSAs and one police officer on site. Campbell said security and housekeeping costs have risen significantly.
Budget math and next steps Councilors pressed library officials on a presentation slide that showed the ending fund balance across years; some council members said the arithmetic on the long‑term plan slide did not clearly reflect the proposed drawdown. CEO Hill offered to circulate a corrected slide the next morning. The budget and union negotiations are ongoing; the library said any negotiated salary changes would be finalized before the city’s budget deadline (Oct. 6).
Discussion vs. decisions The committee received the library’s presentation and asked procedural and financial questions; no final council vote on the library budget was taken at the Sept. 17 hearing. CFO Campbell said the library expects to use fund balance in 2026 if projections hold but emphasized past practice of negotiating contracts and managing expenses to avoid service cuts.
Ending Library officials said they would provide corrected slides and additional detail for a follow‑up review; councilors asked for closer scrutiny of five‑year projections and the impacts of property‑tax reform on the library’s revenues.
