FY16 Budget Presentation for the
MILTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
Presentation for the Warrant Committee
February 19, 2015
THE LIBRARY IS A VITAL PART OF OUR
COMMUNITY
FY14 METRICS

In FY14, Library patrons…








Checked out over 26,000 items a month.
Downloaded over 50 items a day.
Asked almost 300 reference questions a week.
Attended more than 530 Library sponsored programs.
Visited us over 4,500 times a week.
Checked out each new book an average of 18 times.
Borrowed each new DVD an average of 26 times.
We delivered services with a lean staff and budget

35% of checkouts were self service
LIBRARY FIVE-YEAR GROWTH
FY09
FY14
% Growth
Circulation
200,926
Vs.
315,415
57%
Programs
Offered
149
Vs.
581
290%
Program
Attendance
5,162
Vs.
13,537
162%
Reference
Questions
7,876
Vs.
14,556
85%
Computer Use
17,053
Vs.
47,445
178%
Library
Attendance
132,445
Vs.
237,214
79%
Downloads
0
Vs.
18,840
STRONGER TOGETHER

The Library continues to explore opportunities
to provide more efficient and cost effective
services for Milton residents
 Town
IT
 Consolidated Facilities Department
 Old Colony Library Network
STRONGER TOGETHER: TOWN IT

Over the past year, the Library has become
more integrated with the Town IT Department
 We
have switched to the Town’s IT provider
 Improved
cost savings for Town
 Improved service for Library
 Collaborated
with Town IT on technology upgrades
and purchases
 Replacement
of aging computers and WiFi
STRONGER TOGETHER: CONSOLIDATED
FACILITIES DEPARTMENT

The Library is fully integrated with the CFD





Collaborate on preventative maintenance




HVAC issues
Grounds issues
Lighting & Electrical
Any and all building related issues
Negotiates maintenance contracts
Works with us on long range/capital planning
Consolidated Facilities is very responsive and supportive of the
Library’s needs
Benefits for the Library include:


Significant savings in labor costs
Immediate response times as compared to outside vendors
STRONGER TOGETHER: OCLN


The Old Colony Library Network (OCLN) is a 29 library
collaborative, including towns and academic institutions.
Benefits include:


Shared collections – Milton residents can borrow from
surrounding towns
Cost savings from collaborative purchasing.
Library Catalog
 eBooks, and other services
 Database




Staff training
Technical support
Long Range Planning
STATE STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC LIBRARIES

What are State Standards?

MAR (Municipal Appropriation Requirement) - This
mandates that the Library budget be at least the average of the
previous three municipal appropriations for library services,
multiplied by 2.5%.
 MER (Materials Expenditure Requirement) – This
mandates what percentage of total operating costs must be spent
on circulating materials based on population. Ours is 13%.
 Hours Open Requirement – This mandates the weekly hours
of service required based on population.

Be meeting state standards, we anticipate
receiving ~$32,000 in FY15
STATE AID: MUNICIPAL APPROPRIATIONS

FY16 MAR = $1,242,540
Budget
Revolving
Total
Level Service
$1,309,398
$80,000
$1,389,398
Level Dollar
$1,230,675
$80,000
$1,310,675
Reduced
Budget
$1,206,062
$80,000
$1,286,062
STATE AID: MUNICIPAL APPROPRIATIONS

How we got to FY16 MAR numbers
Year
Budget
Revolving
Total
FY13
$1,075,039
$73,000
$1,148,039
FY14
$1,145,740
$72,311
$1,218,051
FY15
$1,170,611
$100,000
$1,270,611
$3,636,701
SUM
3 year average $1,212,234
X 2.5%
$1,242,540
= MAR
STATE AID: MATERIALS

FY16 MER Scenarios
FY15
Level Dollar
Reduced Budget
$
1,230,675
$
1,206,062
80,000 $
80,000
$
80,000
$
1,310,675
$
1,286,062
$165,179 $
180,622 $
170,388
$
167,188
budget
$78,301 $
112,000 $
102,000
$
99,000
revolving
$85,000 $
65,000 $
65,000
$
65,000
$1,878 $
3,622 $
3,388
$
3,188
$165,179 $
180,622 $
170,388
$
167,188
Budget
Revolving
Total
X 13%
Level Service
$1,170,611 $
$100,000 $
$1,270,611 $
1,309,398
1,389,398
How to get
there
Deficit
STATE STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC LIBRARIES

You need to have the materials that people
want.
 Increased
emphasis on digital collections
There is a direct correlation between the
library’s materials budget and the value that
patrons get from the Library.
 Annual circulation measures this value.

 More
materials = more selection = more circulation
EBOOKS AND OUR REVOLVING FUND

Materials Revolving Fund
Driven by overdue fines collected at the Library
 There is no mechanism to collect overdue fines for
eBooks

 This
will lead to a gradual decrease in the money collected for
the revolving fund, leading to a gap in our materials budget

eBooks

Current pricing model for libraries challenges our
budget
 Average
new print cost for libraries: $12.00
 Average new eBook cost for libraries $38.00
BUDGET SCENARIOS

Level Service
 Meets

the current demands for Library services
Level Dollar
 Maintains
current staffing levels, but underfunds
many general expenses

Reduced Budget
 Reduces
operating hours and underfunds many
general expenses
LIBRARY BUDGET SCENARIOS

Level Service Budget = $1,309,398





Adds minimal staffing hours to meet current demand
Increases Materials budget to meet demand
Adjusts expenses to meet needs based on FY14 and FY15
numbers
Close to meeting all state minimum requirements
Level Dollar Budget = $1,230,675



Maintains current staffing
Maintains current level of general expenses, creating possibility of
Reserve Fund Transfer request to meet building maintenance
needs
Does not meet state minimum Materials Expenditure
Requirement
LIBRARY BUDGET SCENARIOS

Reduced Budget Scenario = $1,206,062
 Eliminates
Sunday hours
 Maintains current level of general expenses,
creating possibility of Reserve Fund Transfer
request to meet building maintenance needs
 Does not meet state minimum Materials
Expenditure Requirement
LEVEL SERVICE BUDGET ALLOWS US TO:







Increase staffing levels to meet current demands for
Library services
Maintain current hours of operation
Adequately fund the Milton Public Library book budget
Meet incremental increases to operational expenses
including: utilities, facilities, and technology
Meet all state aid obligations *
Meet the goals established for FY16
Meet the steadily increasing demand for Library
collections and services
IMPACT OF A LEVEL DOLLAR BUDGET

Materials expenditures below minimum standards



Grounds and Building Maintenance



Below MER minimum by $3,388
Unable to meet growing demand for eBooks and other digital
services, while also maintaining popular print collection
Inadequate budget for non-contractual maintenance and basic
repairs
The Library will not be able to maintain and repair this new facility,
used by more than 700 people a day
Any Supplies

We will be underfunding the supplies needed to prepare new
materials for borrowing and would limit our ability to make basic
repairs on our collection
IMPACT OF A REDUCED BUDGET

Reduction in operating hours

Elimination of Sunday hours



Materials expenditures below minimum standards



Below MER minimum by $3,188.
Unable to meet growing demand for eBooks and other digital services, while
maintaining popular print collection.
Grounds and Building Maintenance



Limits opportunities for residents to visit us on the weekends
Limits programming opportunities
Inadequate budget for non-contractual maintenance and basic repairs.
The Library will not be able to maintain and repair this new facility, used by more
than 700 people a day.
Any Supplies

We will be underfunding the supplies needed to prepare new materials for
borrowing and would limit our ability to make basic repairs on our collection
FY16 LIBRARY GOALS
Support reading, viewing and listening pleasure
 Encourage lifelong learning
 Promote young readers and early literacy
 Provide high-speed access to the digital world
 Enable people to find, evaluate, and use
information
 Make the Library a comfortable place to visit

FY16 LIBRARY GOALS

Increase per capita borrowing to 80th percentile
levels
 Maintain
state standards for municipal
appropriations and materials
 Grow the number of library card holders
 Expand the number of library sponsored programs
 Enhance the library’s online presence
PER CAPITA BORROWING IS OUR KEY METRIC
Per Capita Borrowing for FY14
24
25
20.9
20
10.3
13.7
12.4
11.8
5
11.7
15
10
27.3
30
0
Although improving and above the median, Milton trails similar towns.
PER CAPITA SPENDING COMPARISON
Municipal Library Appropriation per Capita
$100.00
$90.00
$80.00
$70.00
$60.00
$50.00
$40.00
$30.00
$20.00
$10.00
$0.00
$75.84
$48.50 $45.58 $44.69
$43.36
$36.45
$80.46
$88.24
INCREASE THE NUMBER OF LIBRARY USERS



Increase the awareness of library services
More users = more potential borrowers
Meet people where they are: in house, online, outreach
percentage of population with library cards
70%
66%
65%
60%
59%
60%
61%
61%
56%
58%
55%
50%
2012
2013
2014
State
Average
Hingham
Belmont Winchester
INCREASE PROGRAMMING




Programs and events bring in new people who become Library
patrons.
Increases the frequency of visits by existing patrons.
Creates an interest in specific topics (quilting, history, etc.)
All of the above increase borrowing.
Library Program Attendance
15000
10000
10447
12278
13537
6635
5000
0
FY11
FY12
FY13
FY14
EXPAND THE LIBRARY’S ONLINE PRESENCE
FY15 goal to redesign library website
 Improve online visibility


Advertise services & collections
 Leads

to increased use and circulation
Utilize social media to promote collections and
programs
FY16 LIBRARY GOALS

Library Priorities:
1.
2.
3.
4.
To maintain state standards for municipal appropriations and
materials
To bring new and repeat users to the library
To improve and expand library programs
To improve and update library computers and online presence
RECENT PEW INSTITUTE STUDY
Compares Milton residents to national average
 Findings:

Milton residents are ‘Library Lovers’, with 58% percent
of results falling in this category, versus 10% nationally
 Milton scores above the national average in frequency
of use of the Library and our website
 83% of Milton respondents visit at least once a month
 94% of Milton respondents find the building to be a
nice, pleasant space
 Milton residents believe the Library to be an important
part of the community

THE LIBRARY RECOMMENDS A LEVEL SERVICE
BUDGET THAT ALLOWS US TO:







Increase staffing levels to meet current demands for
Library services
Maintain current hours of operation
Adequately fund the Milton Public Library book budget
Meet incremental increases to operational expenses
including: utilities, facilities, and technology
Meet all state aid obligations *
Meet the goals established for FY16
Meet the steadily increasing demand for Library
collections and services
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

Milton Library Trustees:










Kristine Hodlin, Chair
Elizabeth Alvarez, Secretary
Raymond Czwakiel, Treasurer
Hyacinth Crichlow
John Folcarelli
Barbara Mason
Brendan McLaughlin
Frank Schroth
Herb Voigt
Library Director, William Adamczyk
APPENDIX: PEW SURVEY
RESULTS FROM LOCAL PEW SURVEY
How often do you visit the Library?
43
45
40
36
35
30
28
26
25
20
17
19
14
15
8
10
5
0
At least once a week
Several times a month
Milton
At least once a month
General Public
Less often
RESULTS FROM LOCAL PEW SURVEY
Agree or Disagree: Having a public library improves the quality of life in a community
100
93
90
80
69
70
60
50
40
24
30
20
7
10
0
3
0
2
0
Strongly agree
Somewhat agree
Milton
Somewhat disagree
General Public
Strongly disagree
RESULTS FROM LOCAL PEW SURVEY
Agree or Disagree: Libraries provided many services people would have a hard time finding
elsewhere
80
76
70
60
48
50
33
40
30
21
20
11
10
1
5
0
0
Strongly agree
Somewhat agree
Somewhat disagree
Milton
General Public
Strongly disagree
RESULTS FROM LOCAL PEW SURVEY
How well-informed do you feel you are about library services and programs?
60
52
46
50
47
40
30
23
20
20
10
10
1
0
0
All or most
Some
Not much
Milton
General Public
Nothing