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City librarian outlines federal, state funding uncertainty and cultural programs
Summary
City librarian Norinda Sufi updated the board on mixed federal funding signals, possible impacts on online subscriptions and state-level program cuts and restorations. Staff also reported cultural events, hiring and a staff retirement.
City Librarian Norinda Sufi briefed the Roseville Library Board on May 19 about recent federal and state funding developments and several cultural programs.
Sufi said the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) told the California State Library it intended to issue a partial payment for the next federal fiscal year but that payments had not yet arrived in California. She said that uncertainty has prompted the state library to pause many federally funded programs and that Roseville is monitoring potential impacts on online services, including a New York Times subscription that local libraries currently access through statewide arrangements.
At the state level, Sufi said the governor’s May revision does not propose further cuts to two previously reduced programs: the Lunch at the Library initiative and the California Library Services Act (CLSA). Both programs were cut by about 50 percent in the prior budget; CLSA supports statewide ebook platforms, which Roseville uses.
Sufi also reported operational and cultural updates: a spring book-drive by the library’s Teen Advisory Board provided books for the summer lunch outreach; five seasonal pages will join staff to support the summer reading program and extended hours; longtime librarian Sarah Schlehofer will retire in June and staff have begun hiring a replacement focused on children’s programming; and the Cultural Arts team rededicated a renovated Weber Park with a new hopscotch mural by artist Matt Grama. Sufi closed by inviting questions.
