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Madison County library reports record use, expands workforce and GED services
Summary
Madison County Public Library Director Christina Cornelison told the fiscal court the library saw record visits and checkouts in FY2024, lowered its tax rates, secured more than $500,000 in grants over three years and won a $9,000 grant to create a Richmond learning lab for workforce training and GED/ESL services.
Christina Cornelison, executive director of the Madison County Public Library, told the Madison County Fiscal Court on Sept. 24 that fiscal year 2024 was a record year for library use and community programming.
Cornelison said the library recorded more than a quarter of a million visits and over half a million checkouts; more than 121,000 uses of library meeting spaces were logged. She said more than half the county’s residents used a library card to check out books during the year.
The director outlined three strategic priorities: promoting literacy, providing access to information and enabling meaningful community connection. Cornelison highlighted kindergarten‑readiness programming supported by a five‑county grant from the governor’s office; she said only 36% of Madison County children were measured as fully ready for kindergarten and the library is investing in early‑childhood readiness programs and parent education to improve that figure.
Cornelison also described workforce and adult‑education services. The library received a $9,000 grant to repurpose space in Richmond into a learning lab that will host the state’s Ready for Industry online curriculum, partner training for credentialing, and GED and ESL classes in partnership with adult education. She said GED testing windows are booked through the end of the year and that the number of GEDs awarded at the library doubled from 2023 to 2024.
The director noted the library has reduced local tax rates since 2021 (reporting a 17% decrease in real property tax rate and a 34% decrease in personal property tax rate) while increasing services. Cornelison said the current multi‑year grant strategy has yielded more than $500,000 in grant awards over the past three years and that several projects (including a planned basement remodel at the Berea branch) are funded by grants to avoid additional taxing burden.
Court members praised staff and confirmed the library’s value as a community resource for meeting space, polling locations and programming. The court’s remarks emphasized the library’s role in workforce development, youth readiness, and community connection.
The library director closed by inviting questions and thanking the court for support; no formal action was required.
