Library asks for more dollars as demand for services increases
Sunday hours and more staff and programming are immediate goals
By Beth Kassab
Winter Park Library Executive Director Melissa Schneider asked the Winter Park City Commission for more money this week in an effort to add Sunday hours and additional staff as demand for content, classes and other programs surges.
“Nationally, libraries have really struggled to get people back in the doors” in a post-pandemic world, she said, “but when we compare ourselves to our peers it’s tremendous.”
Since the new building opened in December 2021, she said, the growth in circulation of youth and family content is especially impressive. The number of active library cards has nearly doubled in the last five years and interest in programs has grown.
In 2018, the library had 42 employees, which dropped to 36 by 2022. But in that same period, average monthly visits increased from 10,548 to 13,400, representing a 15% increase through this year. Wi-Fi and computer use has more than doubled to an anticipated 120,000 sessions this year.
So far, the city’s proposed budget includes a 5% increase or about $92,000 in additional dollars. The city’s contributions are devoted entirely to personnel costs for the nonprofit library, which relies on grants and philanthropy to supplement city government support.
Schneider said the library would need a 24% increase from the city, or about $350,000, to meet the added demand for staff, services and Sunday hours. But she also proposed an alternative scenario — a 14% increase, or $200,000, which she said would still leave some gaps, but would allow some new staff, programming and hours on Sunday when more families are able to use the library.
She committed to contributing more funding from the library endowment and fundraising if the city would increase its contribution. She noted the library will turn 138 years old this year.
Anderson said the city has a small contingency for increased funding, but suggested it also may be possible to provide additional dollars from the Community Redevelopment Agency, which city leaders are hoping to expand and extend before its scheduled sunset in 2027.
Commissioners did not commit to a funding amount, but Mayor Phil Anderson said he was “blown away” by the library’s accomplishments and its ability to buck national trends. The budget won’t be finalized until next month.
At the same meeting the city approved a $230,000 study by Geosyntec Consultants to analyze stormwater management and flood prevention on the west side of the city. The study area includes the library and Lake Mendsen, the pond at MLK Park next to the library, plus areas surrounding Lake Killarney, Lake Bell, Lake Wilderness and Lake Gem. Lake Mendsen has experienced heavily increased flooding since the new library was constructed.
Questions or comments? Email the editor at WinterParkVoiceEditor@gmail.com
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By: Beth Kassab
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Resident library cards have increased from 10,000 in 2018 to 17,000 today. There are 3,000 non-resident cards. Also, WP library is open 66 hours a week. OC libraries are open 57 hours per week. All with fewer employees than in 2018! Growth in attendance in classes, especially children, is incredible. What a success story!
Number of cards is a meaningless statistic. It’s who is using the library, space, and services that matters. The library has become overwhelmed with non-resident and business use. Non-resident Chamber of Commerce members are offered the same library privileges as residents. Many residents lined up to get their cards after it opened and never went back due to the inconvenient location and other reasons. Residents subsidize all the non-resident users of the library. It is only 3 minutes from Orlando and is more of an Orlando library than a Winter Park Library.
You are right. Actual library visits is a better metric and those have increased 15% over the last five years while the number of employees has decreased and the operation was reduced from 7 days a week to 6. I hope the city commission will agree to restoring Sunday hours.
Meaningless except attendance is up 15% to 13,000 people a month compared to old library. And the Chamber has offered cards a long time before new library was built. It would be fun to know out of the 3,000 non-resident cards how many are tied to Chamber membership, in old building and new. I tell you what: I will email library and get the answer so you have the best info.
Why are we allowing non-residents library cards? What activities are residents not getting to participate in because non-residents take up available slots?
The Muffinman has some questions. First, were these problems present at the old library? Second, why the flooding problem now? Third, should non-residents contribute more than they are? Finally, asking for a 24% increase means that the library either was woefully underfunded when it opened or something else is going on. We must support the library but also figure out better ways to solve all their problems beyond increased funding. Oh, one more thing, a bit of transparency would be nice, such as their budget on their website and detailed explanations of their needs.
Where is the AWOL library board in this news article? Why weren’t they willing to be quoted and/or give the reporter the information Pitt has now shared? What are your sources, Pitt?
The library is a boondoggle. Period. Anyone carping about the current commission “wasting money” has short term memory problems.
We paid for a $50+ million library/events center we didn’t need and then the same camp supported the $1 billion + rail boondoggle we also didn’t need or use. (BTW, How many times have you ridden commuter rail lately in 105 degree weather?)
The former Leary commission created a legal nightmare by shoving through entitlements galore which benefited only a few developer friends.
So in addition to paying for a useless new library, residents also had to bear the costs of legal bills to fight off these old Orlando rich families.
Thankfully we are now managed by a group of independent advisors who are making decisions based on fiscal stewardship and best practices.
The fact they are discussing “infrastructure” reflects their good will and interest in the community. Fortunately, there aren’t multiple petitions floating around by upset citizens trying to stop bad decisions.
That’s the best measure of a healthy government! Relax everyone.
Agree: Sunday hours would be welcome! To make room —more with less—why not reduce hours during the week to 10am-8pm and initiate Sunday hours 1-5pm. It’s a start. If there is a move to expand beyond that operating staffing allowance, let’s raise the money outside the city’s commitment. It’s a worthy call to action. Hello business community!
And yes, more transparency needed. While the city’s annual appropriation is dedicated to personnel costs, let’s be honest. An equal value in-kind city contribution is made for utilities, IT, janitorial, landscaping, parking maintenance —and keeping the lights on in general. Where’s the detail on that taxpayer support? What’s the aggregate fiscal number? How has that increased over the years? Hoping this commission asks the hard questions. (Wouldn’t it have been nice to have those estimates in hand before this project commitment was made in the first place?)