Howard County library leaders urge council to release $5 million in state funds for Downtown Columbia central branch

Tonia Akins, president and CEO of the Howard County Library System, told the County Council during the FY26 capital budget public hearing that the county executive’s proposed budget moves $5,000,000 in restricted state funds out of contingency to the central branch library project and asked the council to release those funds so planning and design can continue.

The request, Akins said, is driven by the county’s need for more early-learning space and for dedicated teen and adult meeting and program space. “Our current central branch only has one small classroom for children's classes, and we often turn parents away due to lack of space,” she told the council. “For teens who desperately need free and welcoming spaces to congregate, the current Central Library has no dedicated space for them.”

Liz Banick, chair of the Howard County Library System Board of Trustees, reiterated that the proposed FY26 budget moves the restricted $5 million out of contingency and described timing changes for other projects: the Southwest branch property search and feasibility assessment was pushed to FY27 and funding for the Elkridge branch renovation was altered to align with the county executive’s revised timeline while keeping the total project funding at $4,600,000.

A community patron, Sally Kearney, said the new central library—referred to in testimony as the Lakefront Library—would be “the centerpiece of Columbia's downtown revitalization” and asked the council to release the state funds to move the project forward.

Speakers cited early-childhood learning data and local library usage to justify the investment: Akins noted that only 55 percent of Howard County students test ready for kindergarten and described libraries’ role in closing the vocabulary gap by offering literacy-rich environments and programs for infants through age three.

Library leaders also described the limits of the existing central branch for large public events and teen programming in contrast to other branches that have larger, flexible meeting spaces. They asked the council to preserve the county’s priority on education by releasing the restricted state funds, warning that if unused the state funds could be returned and the county would need to replace them.

No formal council vote occurred during the hearing; speakers said written comments will be accepted and considered before any council action on the capital budget.