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Library director outlines 2026 budget needs: HVAC repairs, staffing and rising digital‑content fees
Summary
Steven, the Nottingham library director, told the Select Board the library needs modest staffing increases, ongoing HVAC and exterior repairs in its aging buildings, and help covering rising fees for state‑managed downloadable titles; he also highlighted roughly $21,000–$38,000 in annual donated services that offset town costs.
Steven, the library director, presented the library’s 2026 budget request at the Oct. 20 Select Board meeting, citing ongoing building repairs, a pending HVAC fix, and rising costs for downloadable digital content.
“Things are going well,” Steven said, describing a year of maintenance work on the 46‑year‑old building and partial grant support for sidewalk repair and other projects. He told the board that one HVAC unit serving parts of the children’s room and upstairs was being repaired and is expected to be serviceable through the winter but that additional units will eventually need replacement.
Nut graf: The library seeks a modest staffing increase — most of its workforce is part‑time — to avoid unexpected closures when staff are short, and it is asking for materials and operations funding to reflect higher costs for books and the Libby/“New Hampshire downloadables” service, which is charged as a state assessment and rising annually.
Steven said the library benefits from donated services that the town does not pay for directly, estimating donated IT services, bookkeeping and grounds upkeep at roughly $21,000–$38,000 a year. He urged the board to factor those savings into long‑term planning because reliance on donated services creates budget exposure if those supports end.
On digital content, Steven explained that the library’s materials line includes New Hampshire downloadable ebooks and audiobooks, and that the state‑assessed fee is expected to rise to about $4,400 next year. He also noted that one of the industry suppliers, Baker & Taylor, is exiting distribution, which may alter future purchasing costs.
Board members questioned whether some building maintenance costs should be budgeted under town facilities versus the library’s operations and requested detailed line‑item clarifications to avoid double‑counting. The director said the proposed increase largely reflects maintenance the library covered this year that the town has not paid for.
What’s next: the board will review the library’s request as part of the 2026 budget hearings and asked staff to identify whether certain maintenance expenses belong under town facility budgets or the library’s operating lines.
Provenance: topicintro SEG 600; topfinish SEG 942.
