Library reports rising late‑year usage; council orders safety and repairs follow-up

Karen, the library representative, presented the library’s end-of-year report on Dec. 30, telling the council the library currently has 356 patron accounts, 56 active accounts in the last three months and that recent activity produced 429 checkouts among the active accounts. She said the library holds about 10,000 volumes and recorded 1,174 total checkouts in 2024.

Karen said recent events — including recovery from a flood — appear to have increased public awareness and that staff aim for a 25% increase in patron accounts and activity each quarter as they restart programs such as newborn literacy packets and a children’s event scheduled for Jan. 19.

On facilities, council members raised safety concerns. Karen and others reported a poorly lit east stairway used to return books; council directed public-works staff to explore motion‑activated lighting to improve visibility and reduce liability. Members also heard about intermittent ceiling noise in the southeast corner of the library (recurring roughly every 10–15 minutes), and directed staff to inspect ceiling tiles to identify the source.

Counseling on repairs: Staff said they found the correct paint color for patched areas and will reglue loose carpeting after approval from the insurer. An insurance adjuster’s sign-off was expected the following week, and staff hoped the outstanding repairs would be completed promptly.

What the council asked staff to do: inspect ceiling tiles to isolate the noise source, review options for staircase motion lighting, follow up with the insurance adjuster to approve carpeting repairs, and confirm the schedule for completing remaining renovation tasks.