Lethbridge Public Library presents 2019-2022 budget and new initiatives to Finance Committee

Plato says the Public Library Base Budget tried to absorb all the pressures it could internally, however, there were some pressures externally that the system could not absorb. One of those includes an increase in the Chinook Arch Regional Library System (CARLS) budget.

CARLS is a separate organization; however, the public library is a member.

“Chinook Arch is a member-driven library service organization of which Lethbridge is a founding member,” explains Plato. “Municipalities all got together to create the system and the idea is to enhance library services in southern Alberta, and for libraries to cooperate.”

There are 40 municipal members of CARLS. The organization provides IT support, cataloguing, processing and acquisitions. While the two organizations are different, the LPL had to include the CARLS budget along with its own.

CARLS made a presentation to City Council at its Oct. 1 meeting and asked for a 7.13 per cent municipal funding increase, an increase to membership fees and an increase to the per capita membership fee for a total of $146,646.

Plato says requested increases for the Public Library include $9,449 for a maintenance agreement for the Crossing Branch which was budgeted lower than actual operating costs, $8,000 for security, which was also incorrectly budgeted for, and just over $32,000 for interdepartmental increases.

There are also some new initiatives in the budget, but those costs are separate and will be deliberated as such by council.

“If they choose to grow library services, those would be the ways that the library recommend they do so.”

The initiatives include eliminating membership fees for 2019 for the library’s 100th anniversary, a $106,000 cost and/or permanently eliminating membership fees at an ongoing cost of $106,000 a year.

“What that would do is allow everybody to access the library equally and in the same way. Lethbridge is one of the last large population centres in the province to charge membership fees for public library cards.”

Another initiative would be to hire an Indigenous Library Liaison as part of its reconciliation efforts.

“It is a best practice for public libraries to develop services that are specific to indigenous populations and so this would add a position to the library that would allow us to develop those services in a meaningful way.”

Security also remains a top priority, especially at the main branch. Plato says the board acknowledges there are ongoing concerns about safety in the downtown regarding illicit drug use and they want to make sure those incidents occurring at the library are kept to a minimum.

There are currently two security guards working at the library, however Plato says without additional funding, they won’t be able to keep the second guard.

Operating Budget deliberations will take place Nov. 19-24.

by Lara Fominoff @LaraFominoff on Twitter

Lethbridge Public Library presents 2019-2022 budget and new initiatives to Finance Committee

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