A Closer Look At The Library's Financial Picture

Did you know that the budget translates to $51 per resident a year? Compared to the schools ($2,297 per resident); town services ($1,050 per resident) and police department ($171 per resident), that's quite the bargain, noted members of the library's Board of Trustees at a recent forum.

Along with Director Maribeth Breen, Children's Librarian Lynn Hidek and the board (composed of Melissa Mitko, Patrick McKiernan, Diana Byrne, Marjorie Calvert, Mary Gilbert, Patricia Kumekawa, Ken McDonnell, Stephen Lillquist, Leslie Lindenauer, Rich Santanelli, Laurie Santos, Steve Sinni, Barry Sullivan and David Reynolds) they held an open forum for the public January 18 at .

The purpose was to illustrate and discuss the library's budget: what it is, how it is funded, its deficits, assets, etc.

"The $100,000 cut from the library's budget last year resulted in many changes and the first one was our national ranking," said Breen.

The 100-year old library once held a national ranking of one of the top 10 libraries in the country.

In 2011 after a first failed town referendum, the . This cut resulted in the decrease of the library's hours, staff, programs and staff salaries.

Breen said that in tough times such as in this economy, people flock to the library to rent movies they cannot afford to see at the theaters, read newspapers they cannot afford to subscribe to, and use the computers to write their resumes and hunt for jobs.

"People need this library for more hours, not less," said Breen.

A few of the statistics provided at the forum include the following:

With a population of approximately 13,500 in the town of Clinton, 8,545 residents and 4,185 non-residents are library cardholders.  More than 675 people use the library daily. More than 1,084 items are borrowed each day. Almost 50,000 people visited the library's website in one year. 

For the library's fiscal year which runs July 1 - June 30, there were 68 programs for adults and 392 children's programs for 2010-2011. For the same period, there were 76,928 half-hour public computer sessions and 4,500 WiFi users.

Again for 2010-2011 fiscal budget season, here are more statistics given at the forum:

Town's budget $14.2 million

School's budget $31 million

Police budget $2.3 million

Department of Public Work's budget $1.5 million

Library's budget $693,500

Board president Rich Santanelli gave a little history of the library. The building at 10 Killingworth Turnpike (a former bank) was purchased by the town for $1.3 million in 1996. Reducing the overall price was a state grant of $500,000 and fundraising totalling $350,000. The sale of the former library building brought in $445,000.

"If you do the math, the total cost to taxpayers for the Henry Carter Hull Library was $5,000," said Santanelli.

How is the library funded?

Board treasurer Dave Reynolds explained that the library is funded through several avenues other than the town: the Arrabella A. Meigs Hull (wife of Henry Carter Hull) Trust Fund ($82,000 projected for 2012-2013); gifts from private individuals and fundraising efforts ($25,000); dividends and interest income ($13,500); overdue charges for books, movies, etc. ($25,500); a grant from the state library system ($19,000); and photocopies, lost book fees and other fees ($5,000) for a total of $170,000.

The library's total assets which include cash, investments, restricted and unrestricted private gifts, furnishings, equipment and leasehold improvements total $1.2 million as of December 31, 2011.

Dean of the Board of Trustees Patrick McKiernan stood up and spoke about the library's assets which include private bequeaths and how they are separate from the operating costs.

"Someone once said to me "look at how much money the library has," said McKiernan. "That money was given (donated) for another purpose."

As other board members explained, restricted funds means that someone has bequeathed or given money to the library with a specific purpose for its use. For example, they want the money to be used for children's programs, or as a recent example, a drive-up book drop.

Breen and Reynolds also explained the library's "deficit" or difference between their operating costs and what the town provides. For 2012-2013, the projected numbers are that the library's operating costs will be $872,000 to fully restore its hours, staff and salaries. The projected amount that the town will pay is $764,000, leaving a deficit of $108,000 which will be paid for by the trust and fundraising efforts, said Breen.

"In no case were taxpayer dollars received in excess of operating expenses," noted Breen.

Santanelli concluded the evening by asking the public's support of the library in the upcoming budget workshops, budget hearings and at the referendum vote.

Attached to this article is a sheet of statistics provided by the library to those attending the forum. The Excel spreadsheet of assets and the profit and loss statement was too large to be attached to this article. If you want a copy emailed to you, email me at fay.abrahamsson@patch.com.