Boise library leaders outline facilities plan after survey shows rising use and digital checkouts

Boise — Boise Public Library leaders and members of the Boise City Council met in a joint session to review early work on a 10‑ to 20‑year facilities plan, present community survey results and usage trends, and seek council feedback before expanded public outreach in 2025.

Library Director Jessica Doerr described a system with rising demand across both in‑person and online services and said, “There is a resounding yes in the number of people who walk into our facilities every day or the number of people who access our facilities online every day.” Doerr also warned of growing costs tied to digital collections: “For the first time, Boise Public Library will exceed a 1,000,000 digital checkouts,” she said, while noting digital items are typically more expensive to license than print copies.

Why it matters: Boise’s library system is reporting steady year‑over‑year growth in visits, program attendance and circulation. Trustees and council members framed the facilities plan as a chance to match library space and staffing to evolving community needs — from early childhood literacy to teen space, meeting rooms and outdoor access — while balancing limited public resources and lease constraints at smaller branch locations.

Usage trends and survey findings Library staff presented internal data showing increases in in‑person visits, program attendance and both physical and digital circulation. Doerr said the system expects more than 1,000,000 digital checkouts in the current year and about 1.6 million physical item checkouts. Staff noted that adult users are driving much of the increase in digital use, while children’s use remains comparatively print‑heavy.

The library reported nearly 2,000 responses to a September community survey. Respondents prioritized early childhood literacy and school readiness, more programs and gathering spaces, better teen/tween spaces, and improved signage and accessibility at storefront branch locations. Staff also noted higher response rates from ZIP code 83713 (West Boise) and called out Bound Crossing — which opened in 2017 — for a spike in October activity when it served as an early voting site.

Branch constraints, leases and equity Trustees and council members raised recurring concerns about space and ownership. Several smaller branches (identified in the meeting as Hillcrest and Callister) operate in leased storefronts that limit site improvements, parking and outdoor amenities; Public Works’ senior facility program manager Lindsay Erb said square footage and lease restrictions are primary constraints. Trustee and council discussion repeatedly returned to whether long‑term goals should rely on leased retail space or city‑owned facilities.

Council members emphasized equity and walkability in siting decisions. Councilmember Lucy Willett asked for a clear service goal — a “North Star” — for accessibility so planners can weigh walkability, transit access and program specialization. Councilmember Jordan Morales flagged rapidly growing neighborhoods in Southwest Boise and asked staff to examine how Boise residents use both city and nearby Ada County libraries.

Programs, partnerships and costs Doerr and trustees stressed the library’s role in early literacy, community connections and support services for vulnerable residents. They noted a staffing and program pilot at the Cole‑Ustick (presented as a branch pilot) that uses automated sorting to free staff for outreach and programming. Councilmembers and trustees discussed partnering with schools, parks and recreation, senior centers and other community organizations to extend services without immediately building new facilities. Several speakers also raised the recurring capital‑funding constraint: large new buildings would likely require a future bond measure or other new funding sources.

Next steps and timeline Staff said they are roughly midway through a consulting engagement with Group 4 and plan public listening sessions in early 2025 (staff mentioned February–March as a target window) and a return to council and the board in spring/May 2025 with additional analysis and refined recommendations. Trustees asked staff to include clear comparisons of trade‑offs (e.g., leased vs. owned space), true total costs for proposed scenarios (facility, technology, staffing and ongoing operations), and specific outreach to young people and West Boise residents.

Meeting close The trustees adjourned the joint session after the discussion; the library team will use council feedback to shape the community outreach phase and the consultant’s scenario modeling.