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City council leaves library allocation intact as materials budget is cut in half for a year
Summary
The city council passed the city budget with no change to the library's total allocation, but the library director said the materials budget was cut roughly in half for the coming year; the director called it a one'year reduction and said staff will continue core programs despite reduced materials spending.
The Pflugerville Library will operate under a pared'down materials budget for the coming year after the city council adopted the municipal budget with no changes to the library's overall allocation, Library Director Jennifer said.
"The city council did pass the budget last night. There were no changes to the library budget. It is very lean," Jennifer said, adding that "our materials budget was pretty much cut in half." She said staff will "continue offering the same level of programs" and expected the reduction to be temporary.
Jennifer told the board the library has managed similar reductions in the past, citing 2016 as an example. "It's my understanding this is a one year thing, and we'll be going back to normal hopefully in 2027," she said.
Board members asked how the cuts would affect services. Jennifer said she was not "overly concerned," noting the library aims to prioritize programming and e'resources even as print purchases slow.
The director also reported staffing changes that affect program delivery: a vacancy in the youth librarian role contributed to fewer programs over the summer, but a new youth librarian, Hannah Durham, started this week. Jennifer said the library's new and renewed library cards are up and outreach is increasing, even as some attendance measures remain down.
The board did not take a formal vote on the budget during the meeting; the action noted in the record was the city council's adoption of the municipal budget the night before. The next board meeting will include the finalized five'year plan for the board's October approval, Jennifer said.
