Library staff says Hoopla will be discontinued and funds redirected to OverDrive; staff plan outreach

Library staff told the Board of Trustees on Nov. 24 that the library will discontinue its Hoopla subscription because it was not financially sustainable and that the library intends to shift more funding to OverDrive.

Jennifer, speaking in the staff report, said the decision followed a review of digital-collection use and budget constraints. “Hoopla was not financially sustainable,” she said, adding that staff plans include investing additional resources in OverDrive and offering classes to help patrons make the transition.

Staff also said they encountered supply-chain or vendor fulfillment issues with Baker & Taylor. To avoid duplicate copies and unfilled orders, librarians paused some Baker & Taylor orders, canceled others, and placed orders with Ingram to ensure material availability.

On operations, staff noted facilities work tied to Johnson Controls is affecting the timing of an electrical photocell installation and that some HVAC/chiller work is still pending. Jennifer also reported the library received 24 boxes of Narcan from the Milwaukee Fire Department and requested staff training for safe use.

What’s next: Staff will implement the Hoopla-to-OverDrive transition plan, arrange patron education classes, continue to manage vendor orders to avoid duplicates, and schedule Narcan training for staff.