Libraries get creative with funds — or lack thereof

RANDOLPH — Librarians are known for being creative folks.

And they can be quite imaginative even when it comes to the library budget.

“I think if you want anything extra, you have to be a little bit creative,” said Peggy Leiting, director of Randolph’s Lied Public Library. “Through the years we’ve done all sorts of fundraisers. We’ve tried about everything.”

The Nebraska Library Commission (NLC) recently released its annual aid to libraries which stayed relatively the same at $1,114 this year.

The library received $2 more in 2020 and $33 less in 2019.

“It’s tied to the accreditation process so libraries have a financial incentive to become accredited,” said Sam Shaw, planning and data services coordinator for the Nebraska Library Commission.

Each library is given base pay, depending on a library’s service area plus a certain amount per capita. The total amount of aid available each year depends on the amount allotted by the Legislature.

Libraries can apply for accreditation and are assigned points based on their application. Randolph’s library is a gold-accredited facility and will re-apply for accreditation next year.

The NLC funding is added to the library’s general fund and not earmarked for anything in particular, Leiting said.

The library also receives $6,500 annual funding from Cedar County’s general fund.

Some of the money is used for special projects and some for purchasing new library materials or new equipment.

“We try to set away money every year, so that after so many years, we can use it to update our computers,” Leiting said.

The library’s operating costs are covered City of Randolph, with salaries and insurance being the highest expense. The library also receives a monthly stipend from the city to cover monthly bills for phone, Internet service and programming costs.

With funds tight, Leiting is forced to think out of the box, applying for grants and conducting fundraisers to boost income to the library.

The library just received word it was awarded a NLC grant of $4,831 to purchase some MakerSpace equipment. Patrons got a taste of the MakerSpace

Patrons got a taste of the MakerSpace equipment after having a vinyl cutter, laser cutter, and sublimation printer and heat press, and design computer on loan at the library’s Innovation Studio for four months.

The MakerSpace was especially attractive to adults and got quite a few into the library through special workshops or working individually with those wanting to be creative, Leiting said.

“The Innovation Studio was a wonderful experience and we now know what equipment our community is interested in,” she said. “We had around 100 people come and use the equipment while it was on loan to us and several more taking interest and learning more about it.”

One user took a hand-written note from her mother-in-law to her husband and had it etched onto a picture frame using the laser cutter. Teacher Peggy Lackas had her senior

* tile Knights with of Columbus their senior ranked #6 class in the permanent picture life on insu students make a partnered with Statista to independently survey more than 16,000 cu it using the heat press and sublimation printer.

Using the laser cutter, patrons cut out clocks, firstcommunion crosses, boxes to hold puzzle pieces, and by the paper invitations. Patrons using the heat press and special printers made shirts, pictures frames and WHAT WE omers who owned at least one insurance policy across 7 insurance product categories. ornaments.

The NLC grant won’t cover all of the equipment the library would like to purchase so they will reach out to the community for donations.

“The whole project is $50,000 with everything we wanted to do but no matter what, part of the MakerSpace is coming back,” she said.

Other adult programming dwindled during the last year during the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of those programs haven’t been brought back, Leiting said. Although, the library strives to offer one or two adult events each month and just hosted an author speaking and book signing a few weeks ago.

Youth programming is back to “normal” after also slowing down due to COVID. The most popular program is the library’s story time for preschoolers.

“Through the years, that has been very constant,” Leiting said. “Our afterschool programs, they are also popular. It was just weird that we skipped it for a year and half.”

Leiting said she appreciates all of the support from the state, county and local level but especially from the patrons who continue to support the library.

She said it’s important for people to realize the value of the library and what it would cost if the library didn’t exist. When you add up what you spend out of pocket for all the items you can use at the library for free - including computer uses and free wi-fi - it adds up to more than $340,000 each year.

In comparison, the library’s cost to the taxpayers is only about 25 percent of that. Community members are genuinely getting a bargain, Leiting said.