Mount Lebanon board questions 22% jump in county e-resources charge

At its regular meeting, the Mount Lebanon Library board spent the most time on a county formula that would raise the library’s e-resources contribution to $116,813.66 for 2027, a jump the director called a 22% increase from the previous year.

Robin (Director) said the e-resources funding task force — made up of library directors across the county — recommended the increase based on a formula that factors collection expenditures and circulation metrics. "For 2027, our expected contribution will be a $116,813.66, which is a 22% increase from the previous year," Robin said, and added that she voted no in committee despite the recommendation passing.

Board members pressed for clarity about why Mount Lebanon’s share rose steeply while nearby libraries such as Northland and Upper St. Clair pay different amounts. The Chair noted the numbers looked difficult to reconcile with local circulation figures; one committee member said the formula can be skewed by collection spending and other libraries’ building and maintenance costs.

Robin described steps the county is taking to curb out-of-county usage — including a $60 two-year out-of-state card — but said those fees do not reduce Mount Lebanon’s assessed contribution. "All of that money goes towards the resources, but it doesn't reduce the amount that we owe as an individual library," she said.

The director noted the committee vote was not unanimous: "I voted no in the committee. Several others voted no. It was actually not a very — it was kind of a tight vote, but it did pass," Robin said.

Board members encouraged participation in the Allegheny County Library Association general membership meeting on June 23 to ask questions and learn more. Robin suggested attendees contact Amy Anderson at the Allegheny County Library Association for further explanation of the formula and funding options.

No final municipal budget action on the county formula was recorded at the meeting; board members said they intend to continue the discussion and to raise the issue with the broader membership and municipal budget reviewers.

The board also discussed comparative spending, the county’s allocation of regional assets, and the long-term pressure e-resources costs place on local book budgets; Robin estimated e-resources spending has grown significantly over roughly a decade and said local libraries are grappling with sustainability.

Next steps: board members were invited to the June 23 Allegheny County Library Association meeting to ask questions about the task force recommendation and the formula. The board did not adopt a local policy change at this meeting.