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Narragansett library presents first-year usage and modest budget increase as new building settles in
Summary
Library staff told the council about a busy first year in the new building — 22 new Narragansett cardholders, nearly 3,000 open hours, 5 meeting rooms and increased program costs — and requested modest additional funding tied largely to staffing and facility operation.
Narragansett Public Library staff and board members told the town council on April 15 that the library’s first full year in its new building produced heavy use, new services and some new operating costs that inform a modest budget request for FY2025–26.
The library reported 22 new registered Narragansett cardholders since opening the new location, about 2,941 open hours in the year (roughly 59 hours per week) and regular use of five reservable meeting rooms (about 100 room rentals monthly). Staff described expanded services including a Makerspace (3D printing, sewing classes), expanded streaming and ebook access and a business center for fax/scan/print email services. Circulation numbers cited in the presentation included about 71,462 adult physical items and 59,593 child/young-adult items systemwide in the cited period.
Library leadership said the operating request was largely to maintain staffing levels (17 employees, six full-time including the director) and to respond to price increases for professional services, presenter fees and some technology licenses. Staff noted the library participates in a statewide consortium (OSL) that supplies shared services and some licenses; the consortium’s benefits have shifted year to year and the library must absorb some license costs directly this year.
The capital request included security camera expansion for the new building: the library reported blind spots in the parking area and asked for funding to add 11 cameras and monitoring for approximately $30,000. Staff said some building bills (utilities, fire protection) have not yet been fully transferred from the old building’s accounts and that some line items may be adjusted once new invoices are in the new building’s name.
Councilors asked about state aid, declining external support for some licenses, and ongoing fundraising. The library director said the Friends group and local donations remain important, and that the Champlin Foundation has previously supported capital expenses though foundations may be tightening grant support. The director said the proposed operating increase is small (roughly $20,000 total across municipal and state funding lines) and mainly reflects wages and uncontrollable benefits.
No action was taken; council staff and library leaders said they would continue to refine numbers for the May public hearing and final budget adoption.
