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Library director asks for 33 hours to meet state standards; committee probes bilingual-librarian need and loan terms
Summary
City library director requested 33 additional part-time hours to sustain open hours and meet Oregon Library Association essential standards; councilors pressed for details about a bilingual librarian, loan terms and whether interest on an internal loan could be waived.
Canby Library Director Marissa Ealy told the Budget Committee the library is operating in a building double the size of its 2011 footprint with roughly the same staffing level and is failing 12.5% of the Oregon Library Association’s essential minimum standards. Ealy proposed adding 33 hours a week across three part-time positions to maintain current hours and move the library toward compliance.
"These 33 hours would be the cheapest, easiest, and quickest impact option, that will sustain our current operations right now," Ealy said, adding the additional hours would allow the library to meet nearly all essential standards; the only remaining gap would be the absence of a bilingual librarian, which Ealy described as materially more expensive.
Councilors noted that the 33 hours are currently covered by expected increases from the library district funds and would not raise general-fund support. Councilor Jason Patton and others pushed for detail on the library’s loan from the cemetery perpetual-care fund (a roughly $500,000 internal loan) and whether staff could waive interest; staff said interest was not charged for the coming fiscal year as part of budget "gymnastics" but that council would need to deliberate any permanent change.
The committee discussed grants and capacity to pursue them; Ealy said grant opportunities have contracted and staff time devoted to managing existing grants limited capacity for new applications. Members asked staff to return with: (1) a clearer breakdown of the library-district revenue supporting the 33 hours, (2) the fiscal effect of restoring the library’s FY24 general-fund contribution if council elects to do so, and (3) options and estimated costs for hiring a bilingual librarian versus the 33-hour option.
What’s next: staff will provide the requested revenue breakdown and options analysis at a future meeting; the committee did not finalize additional hiring or funding tonight.
