Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Library Access topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Local coalition urges countywide library-card access for children
Summary
Heather Crockett of the Box Elder Early Childhood Coalition told the Mayor and Council that a coalition survey of 153 residents found strong support for expanded library-card access for children; she said a roughly $319,000 funding shortfall must be addressed and suggested outreach, grants and county-level engagement to expand access.
Heather Crockett, chair of the Box Elder Early Childhood Coalition and a United Way of Northern Utah employee, asked the Mayor and Council to consider options that would give children across Box Elder County access to library cards.
Crockett said her coalition surveyed 153 people and found low use of the bookmobile and strong interest in physical library access. "Over 95% of the population that was surveyed said [library access] very important to them," she said. She added that "over 50% said yes" when asked whether they would support a small increase in property taxes to fund universal library-card access for children.
Crockett outlined costs and local fee comparisons: she said the Brigham City library’s budget is nearly $1,000,000 and that extending nonresident access to bookmobile service would create an estimated shortfall of about $319,000 under current funding arrangements. She said the current nonresident card fee is $60 per year and noted local jurisdictions sometimes charge less or provide free access, citing Tremonton and Garland as nearby examples of different local approaches.
Council members and staff asked clarifying questions about eligibility and who already qualifies for limited-use cards. Crockett said children enrolled in Box Elder School District programs sometimes qualify for limited cards through their schools, but awareness of that option is low; she suggested a city newsletter or outreach campaign to raise awareness and recommended pursuing grants to cover fees for low-income families (for example, households that qualify under WIC/income guidelines).
Crockett also said the coalition has begun a petition drive and intends to meet county commissioners after collecting signatures. "We have a petition that we have gone around and we're trying to get 1,000 signatures," she said, and she reported that county officials indicated willingness to engage in conversation once the petition threshold is reached.
The presentation closed with council members acknowledging the issue’s complexity given recent property-tax increases and suggesting public education and targeted grants as near-term steps. No formal council action was taken at the meeting on the library proposals.
