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LaGrange regional librarian asks Troup County for $70,000 midyear boost to expand hours and outreach
Summary
Kelly Ansley, the regional librarian, told commissioners the LaGrange Memorial and Hogansville libraries need roughly $70,000 to add staffing, extend hours and expand summer and outreach programming; she cited circulation and program metrics and a projected return on investment.
Kelly Ansley, the newly installed regional librarian, told the Troup County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 6 that she is seeking a midyear funding increase of about $70,000 to expand personnel, program supplies and public hours at the LaGrange Memorial and Hogansville branches.
"We hit over 240,000 items that we circulated across the system," Ansley said, detailing FY25 usage and outreach figures. She told commissioners that making one LaGrange position full time would cost about $48,000 per year, a similar personnel increase at Hogansville about $12,000, and programming supplies roughly $5,000. Ansley said those investments would support extended evening hours at LaGrange (proposing 8 p.m. one additional night) and expanded Saturday availability.
Ansley presented a community-impact report covering July–November 2025 that she said shows strong usage: more than 20,800 residents hold library cards, over 37,000 computer sessions were provided systemwide, and summer reading drew tens of thousands of visits. "Expanding our community outreach and public hours will have a direct impact on the residents who use the library and also bring in new patrons who are unaware," she said.
Commissioners asked clarifying questions about whether the $20,000 line item referenced both branches and about partnerships with the school system; Ansley said the requested funding covers both LaGrange and Hogansville, and she described an MOU with the Troup County School System that would issue "play cards" to enrolled K–12 students to grant digital library access. The manager said the request would appear on the evening meeting agenda for formal consideration.
The presentation included specific usage statistics and staffing ratios, and Ansley noted the libraries rely heavily on volunteers and part-time staff. She urged the board to consider the extra staff and extended hours to reach rural areas with limited internet access and to support early literacy initiatives.
