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NEWS: County budget hearing on November 15th at 5pm, Lowville Court House
Proposed 2013 budget: $18,000-- a $2,000 decrease
For any questions or concerns regarding Lewis County funding,
please contact your consultant, Amy Zuch.
2012 County funding request letter (for 2013 funding)
Proposed formula chart based on IT costs
Historical county funding request letters:
2011 (for 2012 funding)
2009 (for 2010 funding)
Historical campaign materials:
2011 Promotional video
Supplement to 2011 promotional video
2012 Funding Breakdown and 2013 projections based on new census data
Thank you Randy (LOW), Sally (LOW), Mary (LOW), Melanie (PLY), Louise (PLY), Elaine (CRO), Nelson (MAR), Kathy (LYF), and Betty (BHM) for attending the Lewis County funding meeting last night. We had 6 of 12 libraries represented.
The group in attendance last night decided to try a new approach with the county this year, based on the model that Oswego County will be using for their own county campaign.
Instead of making a percentage or dollar amount request for general library expenses that is somewhat arbitrary, we will approach them with funding a project / specific area of library service. Instead of using the chartered to serve population figures to determine county funding distribution amounts, we will use a formula that is based upon actual IT costs for each library. These costs will include SIRSI automation fees, Overdrive fees, Anti-Virus and Security for library computers, wireless and router costs, and computer replacement costs. For the libraries that are not automated, we decided to come up with a figure that would contribute to an annual "reserve" to put towards automation at some point in the future (except for BHM and WLY, who cannot automate because they are not chartered). The group felt that leaving the SIRSI fees off would not be advantageous to all the automated libraries and it was pointed out by Betty from BHM that ALL libraries benefit whenever another library automates.
The level of county funding right now ($20,000) is not nearly enough to cover all of these costs. We are hoping, though, that this concept will be one that the county can easily understand and appreciate, and that it may be enough to convince them to increase funding to the level necessary to cover these costs. The county would benefit from this in the form of good PR and increased transparency and accountability from the libraries. It would also be very uniform-- all libraries would be using the county funds for the same expenses. Should this concept be approved, the libraries would then be able to put labels on their computers that recognize and thank Lewis County for sponsoring library IT costs. Same goes for the library web sites and even at circulation desks.
And so, the next step is for me to meet with our IT Manager to get the information I need about each library to formulate the costs. Much of it is based on the number of PC's each library has, which services they use and pay for, and of course the SIRSI and Overdrive fees, which are based on circulation. I will get together with Jerry as soon as I can and then share the proposed formula with you all.
2012 Funding Campaign
The Lewis County promotional video (link to video above) was shown to the full legislature at their meeting on September 6th. The only comment / feedback we received was that it was very short. The only question was regarding the new downloadable audio and e-books. We also handed out a supplement to go along with the video (see link above).
Summary of second meeting, August 4, 2011:
Six of twelve libraries were represented: CRO, CVL, LOW, LYF, MAR, and OSC
The Lewis County Libraries met last night at the Lowville Free Library at 6:30pm to view the promotional video and finalize plans for this year's funding request and campaign.
The video was shown and approved of by the group. I will be creating a paper 'guide' to coincide with the information presented in the video, which will be handed out at the county legislature meeting. The purpose of this is to give more detail than what was possible to show in the video and to have something for the legislators to take away with them.
I will also be writing a letter detailing your funding request and sending that in within the next week. I think that, even though we have not been asked to submit a funding request (just as we have not the last couple years), we should still send something in detailing your needs and justification for county funding. Once I have it completed and find out for sure when the date is that the video will be presented to the legislature, I will send out the letter for your approval.
Something that will also be sent in and mentioned in the letter as justification is a map of the county showing all of the 'unfunded areas'. Although public funding is being collected (whether through school ballot referendum or from municipalities) in most areas of the county, there are some towns or parts of towns that are not providing any funding to libraries. That means that the only contribution taxpayers in those areas are making is through county taxes. We felt that this is a good argument to make to the county for continued support from them for the areas in the county not funding libraries in other ways. Attached is the map showing those areas.
Summary of first meeting, June 16, 2011:
Seven of twelve libraries were represented: BHM, CVL, LOW, LYF, MAR, OSC and PLY
- A 5% increase in funding will be requested. This is the same request that was made (and not granted) last year. If granted, the increase would amount to $26,944. The current funding amount, in place since 2009, is $25,000.
- A short video / film (with voice-over narration) will be created to be shown to the county legislature at their August meeting (date not yet known). The film will include a compilation of photos, statistical representations, short video clips of patron comments, and any other facts / data that provide a comprehensive picture of what the libraries of Lewis County have to offer and the difference they are making in their communities. Material for the video will need to be collected from YOU-- photos and videos (PHOTO AND VIDEO RELEASES REQUIRED FOR ALL MINORS DEPICTED IN PHOTOS OR VIDEOS), and any specific anecdotes, facts, statistics, sentiments, etc. that you want included in the video for your library. To get an idea of the type of film we plan to create, view the one created by NCLS employee Matt Corey and narrated by Paulette Roes: http://youtu.be/zlz4SvSV8SI
- We will meet again in July to review the progress I have made with the short film (4 minutes or less). We decided tonight to offer 2 date possibilities for our next meeting: PLEASE REPLY to this e-mail with your preference between these 2 dates: Wednesday, July 13th or Thursday, July 14th (either one at 6:30pm at the Lowville Free Library). Majority vote will rule and I will announce asap.
Representatives of Lewis County libraries met first on April 6, 2010 and again on June 10, 2010 to discuss campaign tactics and to decide upon a funding request from the county for 2011. This year's request (for 2011 funding) is a 5% increase over the $25,000 funding that was received in 2008 and 2009. A 5% increase would represent total funding of $1.00 per capita.
With votes from libraries who had not attended the April meeting, there was a majority in favor of requesting a 5% increase over the 2009 funding of $25,000. A 5% increase would represent a total funding amount of $1.00 per capita. The group felt that using the $1.00 per person strategy is the best way to go. The request letter will be written and sent by Amy, after being sent out on the lewtrustees@ncls.org e-mail listserv for feedback and approval. The letter will include the points and statistics that were suggested by trustees at the meeting.
Amy took size requests for the 'Libraries Cannot Live on Love Alone' t-shirts, which libraries will be giving to their county legislators. T-shirts and a list of who is giving to which legislator were sent out in the delivery the last week of June.
Libraries handed in their completed 'My library is essential' posters to Amy so that she can create in Publisher and send out posters.
The group was unable to come to a consensus regarding a funding request. A motion was made to request a 5% increase over the 2010 funding amount ($25,000 total....was $62,000 in 2008). This would be an increase of $1,250 total. Six libraries voted in favor and two libraries voted against this motion. The two that were against felt that the request should not include ANY increase. Because the vote was six libraries in favor, two against, and four libraries were not represented, we felt that without knowing how the other libraries would vote, we did not have a 'majority' vote. Therefore, we have decided to have another meeting in early June and are hoping that EVERY LIBRARY will send a representative so that we can have an accurate vote.
Using the 'My library is essential' concept (borrowing from the NY statewide campaign), I handed out posters that I have created to use for the Lewis County campaign this year. I asked the libraries to fill in the 'template' version I handed out and get it back to me by our meeting in early June.
