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Board backs 2027 library budget request including part‑time wage increase and digital material funding
Summary
The Mitchell Library Board reviewed a proposed 2027 budget that includes a $2,500 increase in part‑time wages, new line items for OCLC/Minitex cataloging fees and an additional $1,000 for e‑books and audiobooks; the board voted to support forwarding the request to city administration.
Kevin Smith walked trustees through the library's proposed 2027 budget to be submitted to the city, pointing to several modest increases and cost‑shifts to match inflation and program demand.
Smith said he was requesting an additional $2,500 for part‑time wages (about a 5.8% increase) to cover mandatory wage changes and step increases for long‑service employees. He outlined other line items such as maintenance, subscriptions, postage and travel remaining largely the same and noted an $800 estimate for cataloging fees previously subsidized by the state library through Minitex/OCLC.
Smith also requested an extra $1,000 for digital materials (ebooks and audiobooks), explaining digital titles can cost many times the price of physical copies; he described examples of per‑title or per‑license fees that make digital spending more expensive than print. He told trustees the library has historically not always received full requested amounts from the city and that the board's role is to review and endorse the submission before city administrators make allocations.
A motion to approve and support the 2027 budget request was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote; the packet will be submitted to the city administrator by the stated deadline.
