Library director asks county for computers, book replacements and advisory funding to support literacy programs

Ida, speaking to the commissioners during the June 17 budget workshop, outlined capital and operating needs for county libraries and described outreach and program activity.

She said the library system has a large book inventory (she cited about $980,000 worth of books at the Keach branch and additional holdings at the Bishop branch) and that several thousand items are beyond the age guidelines used for some state grants. Ida proposed a phased approach to "weeding" older materials and asked that the court allow replacement acquisitions first so the system remains compliant with grant and state requirements.

Ida requested at least $10,000 additional flexible funds for temporary staff (moving from $40,000 toward $50,000) and asked for capital purchases of 10 public-access computers in the coming fiscal year, with another 10 expected the following year and additional computers for the Bishop branch thereafter. She described community partnerships (WorkSource, local development councils) and highlighted program metrics: annual patron counts that in recent years totaled about 52,000 and public-access computer check-outs roughly 12,260 per year.

Commissioners asked for clarifications on the "collection counts" (age ranges) and patron metrics, which Ida explained are item- and patron-count breakdowns that show substantial holdings in older age brackets and steady community use. No budget decisions were made at the workshop; the requests will be considered in the court's budget process.