Funding woes put library services at risk

By Miriam Ostermann, Associate Editor

Increased costs associated with a larger facility and an unexpected boost in usership is forcing the hand of the Strathmore Municipal Library to consider cutbacks in staffing, programming and technology, unless the town is able to loosen its purse strings at the upcoming budget meeting.
For years, the library has been operating on a shoestring budget, and despite an increase in 2018 to $20.10 per capita, the budget still falls $75,000 short of matching the average budget of municipalities of a similar size from three years ago – the average in 2015 was $25.70 per capita.
Nearly a year ago, Strathmore Lambert Centre renovations transformed the former library space from 4,432 sq. ft. to 8,500 sq. ft. by relocating the Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) offices. The construction was necessary to meet the province’s standards which stated Strathmore was only functioning at 57 per cent of what was expected to provide an essential level of service for a population of over 10,000.
While the facelift provided the library with greater programming space, an area for art exhibits, a teen and children area, a staff room, meeting rooms and a proper receiving area, it was also accompanied with additional costs not considered in the 2018 budget. As a result, the library is seeking a $5 per capita increase to ensure the continuation of programming, affordable room rentals, exam invigilation and necessary staff.
“This year we did do more with less, but it’s not sustainable going forward,” said Geoff Ball, Town of Strathmore library board chair.
“We’re not equipped with enough staff to serve the public as effectively as we wish. Low wages and limited work hours make retention of excellent staff a challenge. If we were going into (the town’s) budget discussions to meet the community needs, our ideal ask would be a $5 per capita increase. A $1 per capita increase would allow no additional programming and likely mean cuts to everything from staff, programming and technology.”
According to Ball, a $5 per capita increase assures the continuance of a wide variety of programs for all ages, workshops, guest speakers and authors, as well as increase indigenous, Minecraft and new programming in correlation to community demand. A bump in the budget to only $3 per capita would contribute to the maintenance of slow growth and less ability to meet the current and future demand, and at a $1 increase the organization would halt the creation of future programs and revisit those currently in existence. Current staff, which is already below the Marigold Library System’s average staff wage of $17.20 per hour, at $15.65 per hour, would also face possible cutbacks.
“The future that we envision for Strathmore is a community that’s educated with plentiful early literacy programming that extends into high quality free programs for all ages and abilities,” said Strathmore Municipal Library’s Director of Library Services Rachel Dick Hughes.
“There’s a lot of room for us to grow, to educate the community and to help promote the message that (the town) wants to get out there, because we have really great access to a whole lot of people and I think right now we’re underutilizing that.”
The Strathmore Municipal Library, which has established itself as a community hub, noticed a 57 per cent increase, or 750 new memberships from January to August this year. Programs have also increased to 311 during that time in comparison to 267 in 2017. In turn, a surge in attendance to 4,368 from 3,129 was also observed.
The library has also provided hundreds of hours of room rentals, most of which came at no cost, allowed for 85 exam invigilations, housed various artists and authors, and collaborated with other local organizations for early literacy programming. A total of 13 volunteers also lend their time each week, which is considered a $14,000 value were they to receive payment at minimum wage.
The request to increase the library’s budget moving forward came before town council at the regular council meeting on Sept. 19.
“There is no question that the return on investment in libraries is extraordinary, but this library is even more extraordinary, and I know that because when I got to Marigold … after the last meeting a member from a very large library – one of our 43 municipalities – said ‘I wish you’d just write your report and submit it because we’re really sick of hearing how good Strathmore is,’” said Strathmore Councillor Denise Peterson and former town representative on the Strathmore Library Board. “When you sit at the Marigold table and you see it in terms of 43 other municipal libraries (this one) is extraordinary … and it can’t be overemphasized.”
The town is expected to engage in budget discussions in October.