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Finance committee advances $15.6M Cambridge Public Library budget; directors highlight digital equity and branch reopenings
Summary
The committee forwarded the Cambridge Public Library’s $15.6 million FY26 request, hearing that the system welcomed nearly 1 million visitors and circulated 1.8 million items last year while expanding digital‑equity programs, reopening the Collins branch and adding staff.
The Cambridge Finance Committee voted to forward the Cambridge Public Library’s FY26 budget request — $15,600,000 with 68 FTEs — to the full City Council with a favorable recommendation after Director Macaulay summarized last year’s usage and described programmatic expansions.
Library Director Macaulay said the system welcomed more than 960,000 visitors, circulated about 1.8 million items and offered roughly 3,900 public programs last fiscal year. The budget book lists a projected total of 68 full‑time equivalents and a $4.5 million ordinary maintenance line, which the director said covers collections, programming, utilities, cleaning for seven locations and membership in the Minute Man Library Network.
Councilors pressed for details on staffing, diversity and services. The director told the committee library staff are 39% people of color and described leadership diversity percentages; the branch reopenings plan includes a Collins branch reopening “by the end of this month.” The library said its digital equity initiative has provided roughly 400 small group and one‑on‑one consultations since the program began and had about 12,000 participants in STEAM programs in the last year.
Committee members also asked about line‑item increases. The director said part of the overall budget increase reflects contractual cost increases, including a recently settled collective bargaining agreement, and two newly added positions (a teen librarian and a digital equity coordinator). The director said salary savings in FY24 depressed actual spending that year and made FY26 appear to be a larger increase.
Councilor Siddiqui moved to forward the library budget to the full council; the roll call recorded affirmative votes and the motion carried. Committee members encouraged the library to provide branch‑level usage statistics and additional details on items such as Minute Man membership costs.
