At its Oct. 27 meeting, the Wylie Public Library Advisory Board heard that digital checkouts and overall visits rose in fiscal year 2025 while routine overdue fines have not produced a measurable increase in overdue items systemwide.

Library staff presented year‑to‑year figures showing steady growth in digital circulation and an increase in door count compared with FY2023. The presenter said the library moved some collection funding from the physical collection into digital purchasing for the first time because demand for downloadable and streaming content “is going so strong.”

The numbers matter because they shape collection and purchasing choices now that patron preferences have shifted. The staff presenter told the board that while physical checkouts dipped slightly, total circulation including renewals remains strong and that the library’s digital services continue to climb.

On fines, staff said the library has been moving away from routine late fines and tested the change by waiving fines as patrons returned items rather than wiping all balances at once. The presenter summarized the board packet analysis: notices sent for overdue physical items declined toward 2023 levels even as the number of items circulated rose. “The numbers aren’t showing that” routine fine removal has caused widespread holding of materials, the presenter said, although staff do report a few anecdotal repeat cases. The presenter added that patron feedback has been “overwhelmingly positive.”

Staff also described how lost or damaged item charges continue to be assessed; those revenues, the presenter said, are remitted to the city’s general fund rather than retained by the library’s collection budget, so replacing items still comes from the library’s assigned funds.

Board members and staff discussed metrics the library uses to track circulation and patron behavior. The presenter noted 2019 remains the library’s single busiest pre‑pandemic year for physical circulation and that FY25 is climbing back toward that level. The figures presented included door counts (about 195,000 in FY23 rising to nearly 214,000 in the most recent year) and historical physical circulation peaks (2019: 448,333 items circulated, as cited in the packet).

Staff also updated the board on digital platforms and patron tools. The library reported continued growth on Libby (OverDrive), Hoopla and other vendor platforms and said holds remain high. Staff highlighted the library mobile app and said the vendor has been responsive to feature requests (for example, showing a user’s place in line for holds is a requested improvement the vendor is reviewing).

The presenter said the city’s recently adopted budget (approved in September) secured funds the library requested for interlibrary loan participation (Techshare/ILL) for the coming year; details on any longer‑term subsidy are still being finalized, staff said.

Votes at a glance
The board recorded two routine meeting motions during the session: approval of the Sept. 22 minutes and a motion to adjourn. Both motions carried 7–0.

— Motion to approve minutes as presented: passed 7–0 (mover/second not specified in the record).
— Motion to adjourn: passed 7–0 (mover/second not specified in the record).

What’s next: staff said they will continue to monitor circulation and overdue notices as the library implements more digital purchasing, and will report back as new fiscal‑year purchase data arrive.