Libraries urge continued county support and report need for ADA upgrades and new computers

Library leaders and the Winterset library representative reported on circulation, rural patron usage and facility needs. Will (library representative) said about 28% of the library’s patrons are rural county residents and emphasized the value of ebooks and other digital services for those residents.

Will asked the board to continue existing county support and noted the library’s per‑capita funding is somewhat below the state rural average. He reported a fiscal ask of roughly $74,003.69 for one library’s operations and described a grant that would allow an interactive map and improved tourism materials.

Board members and library staff discussed an impending change in the state levy structure that could reduce future county allocations to libraries over the next four years; staff said the statutory unincorporated rate tied to library funding is 6.75 per thousand. Library representatives also asked for help funding an ADA‑accessible back door and replacement public computers to bring in more young patrons and support online services.

Supervisors acknowledged the service value to rural residents and directed staff to include the library asks in the ongoing budget work; no change to library allocations was approved at the meeting.