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Library leaders praise proposed budget and urge more digital resources, weekend hours
Summary
Representatives of the Norfolk Public Library and its Friends groups praised the proposed FY27 funding, cited rising visits and outreach, and asked the council to fund expanded digital resources and Saturday openings.
Multiple speakers at Norfolk's budget hearing praised proposed funding for the Norfolk Public Library and urged council to preserve and expand services.
Vicky Rogers, chair of the Norfolk Public Library board, thanked council for budget support and said visits have risen sharply—from 77,406 in 2021 to 529,000 in 2025—while demand for digital materials and outreach continues to grow. She told the council the library provides free services including Wi‑Fi, computer access, maker space programming and workforce development and said the proposed budget would help sustain those services and planned outreach in 2026.
Jean Sports, president of the Friends of the Norfolk Public Library, and Bobbie Fisher, past Friends president, echoed that gratitude and offered the Friends' assistance to increase programming, digital resources and community outreach. Fisher urged council to consider opening branches on Saturdays to meet demand during economic downturns when library usage typically rises.
Speakers also noted specific service metrics: Rogers and others described increases in branch visits and outreach events; Friends leaders provided circulation and outreach numbers and offered to help expand Saturday hours and digital subscriptions. There was no formal council response recorded in the public hearing.
