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Fairfield Public Library reports rising use; director asks county to maintain funding
Summary
Library director Alex Schmidt McCumis told supervisors the library added nearly 1,500 borrowers last year, hosted 80,422 visits and expanded programming; he asked the county to maintain last year's funding and flagged capital and strategic-plan items including HVAC and a phased renewal.
Alex Schmidt McCumis, director of the Fairfield Public Library, presented the library's annual report and requested the county maintain funding at last year's level.
Schmidt highlighted usage jumps: 7,506 total borrowers (an increase of about 1,500 in one year), 80,422 annual visitors (up by ~20,000), 106,847 physical checkouts and roughly 152,004 digital items available through the Bridges consortium. He described expanded programming (about 793 in-person library-sponsored events last year), an increase in weekly craft/engagement programs, and partnerships that extended access for rural county residents.
On facilities and capital needs, Schmidt noted a completed Johnson Controls HVAC upgrade (cost cited in report as more than $75,000) and LED lighting upgrades; he said the library has hired MSR Design for a phased renewal with the children's department as a priority. The director asked supervisors to keep the county contribution at least at last year's level and invited supervisors to visit the library and support advocacy for library funding.
During public comment several residents praised the library as a "resilience hub" offering internet access, digitization of local ledgers, training and programs that exceed what smaller towns typically provide. A board member and several supervisors encouraged outreach to local businesses and foundations for training and uniform/operational support in other county departments.
"Public libraries are resilience hubs," Schmidt said while describing the library's expanded role for digital access, programming and community support. The board did not take a final funding vote but the director left a written funding request for the upcoming budget process.
