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Library system reports rebound in visits and programs; staffing stretched amid budget holds
Summary
Prince George's County Memorial Library System reported 1.5 million visitors and rising program attendance in calendar year 2024 but said staffing constraints and a number of frozen positions are stretching operations; several renovated branches saw large increases in visits and program participation.
The Prince George's County Memorial Library System told the County Council Education & Workforce Development Committee on March 24 that systemwide visits and program attendance rose in calendar year 2024, but library leadership warned that staffing constraints and budget-held positions are limiting service capacity.
A County staff presentation of the 2024 performance report showed more than 1,500,000 total library visitors countywide in 2024 and systemwide increases in registered cardholders and program attendance. Presenters highlighted several branches with strong rebounds or gains after renovation: Surratt-Clinton reopened in 2024 and recorded roughly 50,000 visitors in its first year back; Bladensburg's expanded facility saw visits rise from about 7,600 in 2023 to roughly 73,000 in 2024; and the Bowie branch added significant teen programming and recorded a large attendance increase after a local grant.
Director-level presenters noted that programs are both in person and online and that one high-attendance online event in 2020 — an author conversation with Ibram X. Kendi — produced an outlier in attendance figures for that year. The report also described materials circulation, reference queries and public-computer and Wi‑Fi use; circulation showed signs of plateauing while other measures increased.
Library CEO Winston and staff told the committee the system is managing the rebound with reduced staffing: the report and testimony referenced 25 to 28 vacant or held positions because of the FY25 budget situation. "We are stretched," Winston said, noting small branches such as Mount Rainier and Baden operate with very small staffs yet high community demand. Committee members asked about measuring unique visitors versus visits (door counts can register repeat visits by the same person) and about potential partnerships with nonprofits and colocated services.
Winston and Committee Director Adena Veer said the library is open to piloting partnerships with community organizations — examples already include tax-preparation help and youth-readiness programs — and the library plans to include strategic-planning goals and new metrics in next year's report.
The report also highlighted the library's early-childhood outreach program, Books From Birth, which gives one free book per month to registered families from a child's birth through age 5; the library celebrated distributing its 1 millionth book in December 2024. Library staff told the committee they will continue to refine performance metrics and asked council members to suggest additional indicators they would like to see in future reports.
Committee members thanked library staff and asked for budget impact details when the library returns during budget hearings; library officials said they will provide further information when they appear before the council during the budget process.
