Carroll County’s four public libraries are seeking a five percent increase in funding from the board of supervisors for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025. The Carroll County Library Association, which represents the Carroll, Coon Rapids, Glidden, and Manning Public Libraries, presented their ask during the board’s meeting on Monday. Carroll Library Director Wendy Johnson says the association has not asked for an increase in funding since FY20, and the cost of materials and services has increased significantly from five years ago.
Library attendance in FY23 was up 14 percent from FY22 to 72,576 people, while circulation was down three percent to 148,897 for the same timeframe. Johnson says that the drop in circulation does not adequately reflect the impact each library has on its community.
Johnson explains some additional services they offer at Carroll’s library beyond loaning out books.
The five-percent increase equals an additional $4,414, bringing the libraries’ total FY25 ask to just under $88,300. The supervisors did not take formal action on the request during Monday’s meeting and will decide how much to direct to the libraries as they make their way through the budgeting process.
