AGENDA #5

Friday, February 23, 2001

Chapel Hill Public Library

Initial Budget Presentation to the Mayor and Town Council           

FY 2001-2002

MISSION STATEMENT

·        Provide easy access to an excellent collection of books and other library materials to meet the interests and needs of the community.

·        Assist citizens’ pursuit of self-education, research and creative use of leisure time. 

·        Encourage children to become life-long learners and to view the library as “The Very Best Place to Start.”

SERVICES 

General Collection

·        Books:  adult, juvenile and large print materials

·        Audiovisuals:  audio-tapes; compact discs

·        Magazines and newspapers:  Magazine Collection & Index, microfilm

·        New electronic formats: NC Live e-books

·        On-line access to the library catalog to:  reserve and renew materials; check material availability; view your own patron record

Reference Services

·        Well-trained Reference Desk staff

·        Reference collection

·        17 public Internet stations with networked printers:  Gates grant

·        NC Live:  over $3 million of on-line data base subscriptions  (Medline; BRS; ERIC etc.)

Children’s Programs

·        Story Time (ages 3-5)

·        Toddler Time (18-36 months)

·        Summer Reading Program (ages 2-15)

·        Summer Battle of the Books program (ages 7-13)

·        Elementary School aged programs (ages 6-11)

·        Teen Breakfast Club (ages 12 and up)

·        Dial-A-Story (all ages)

·        Pajama Story Time (families)

·        Special performances:  5-10 per year

REVENUE ESTIMATES

KEY REVENUE ISSUES

·        Orange County’s library support is projected at the same level as 2000-2001.  The Library Board will attend the Orange County Commissioners’ budget hearing on June 7 to request increased funding. 

·        Library Service and Technology Act (LSTA) grant monies are awarded in a competitive process annually by the State Library, and are therefore not projected in the 2001-02 budget.  If awarded, any grant would need to be approved by the Town Council and amended to the library budget during that fiscal year.

BASE BUDGET COST ESTIMATES

KEY COST ISSUES

• Personnel costs include a 4% increase for page positions from $6.25 to $6.50 per hour ($1,130 per year).  This is the second year of a two-phase increase for contract page personnel.  Thank you.  We believe that it has made a difference this past year in our ability to competitively hire and keep page positions filled.
• 3% increase ($7,287) for the materials budget to maintain the current level of service.
• Capital Equipment includes $8,363 to replace the existing Administration area photocopies.

KEY PROGRAMS THAT ARE GOING WELL

• The Hennon’s American Public Library Rating Index (HAPLR) has rated the Chapel Hill Public Library as the number one public library in North Carolina for the third year in a row.
• Children’s Division circulation is up 6.8%.
• Children’s Outreach efforts include regularly scheduled programs for public housing youth from Airport Gardens and South Estes, as well as special programs for day care centers.
• The library is well-positioned to take advantage of new information technology:  trained Reference staff; development of a library home page; web access to the collection; on-line data base subscriptions, including e-books; more public access Internet stations. 

KEY PROGRAMS THAT COULD BE IMPROVED

• Additional staff hours are needed to coordinate technology and to troubleshoot equipment problems.  Therefore, we propose increasing the hours of one Circulation Desk Supervisor from 30 to 37.5 hr/wk ($8,939) annually to:

(1)   Shift responsibilities for lower-level circulation supervisory duties from the Assistant Director/Public Services Librarian to the Circulation Desk Supervisor.

(2)   Increase time spent by the Assistant Director/Public Services Librarian on library system and network issues; and

(3)   Increase cross-over time for the two circulation desk supervisors to improve coordination of division operations and increase coverage for staff vacations and illnesses.