we are district (and so can you!): or, the joys and tribulations of being a library district

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We are district (And so can you!)Or, the joys and tribulationsof being a library district

Buzzy NielsenLibrary Director

July 28, 2012This presentation is licensed under a Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution

United States license. http://www.creativecommons.org

(with apologies to Stephen Colbert)

Photos c2011 Brian W. Robb. Used with permission.

A library like many others

Make that three libraries

Hood River

Parkdale

Cascade Locks

Hood River County, Oregon

When we were a County department

Health Department Human Resources

Elections

Commission onChildren & Families

Community Justice

Emergency Management

District Attorney

Forestry

Sheriff

Justice CourtBudget & FinanceAdministration

Parks & Buildings

Community Development

Public Works

Information Technology

Veteran's Services

A dwindling department

2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2009-10 2011-12 2012-13$0

$200,000

$400,000

$600,000

$800,000

$1,000,000

$1,200,000

$785,648

$690,820

$479,486

$0

Hood River County Library budget

Increasing costs, decreasing revenues

Declining revenue from sale of county-owned timber

Mounting PERS costs

And dwindling public service

2007-082008-09

2009-102009-10

2011-12*2012-13

010203040506070

65 65

34

0

2007-082008-09

2009-102009-10

2011-12*2012-13

0

5

10

15

2019 19

14

0

2007-082008-09

2009-102009-10

2011-12*2012-13

0

5

10

15

20

14 1411

0

Hood River

Parkdale Cascade Locks

Public service hours

A slight addition: The “D” word

Quick primer: library governance

Municipal libraries:Part of a larger governmental

entity (city, county, school, etc.)

Quick primer: library governance

County service districts:Districts with dedicated tax fundingthat are governed by their counties

Special districts:Districts with dedicated funding

and independent governing boards

*2011-12 hours figured are averaged as hours increased in January.

Things are better. Ish.

2007-082008-09

2009-102009-10

2011-12*2012-13

010203040506070

65 65

34

0

3443

2007-082008-09

2009-102009-10

2011-12*2012-13

0

5

10

15

2019 19

14

0

1720

2007-082008-09

2009-102009-10

2011-12*2012-13

0

5

10

15

20

14 1411

0

1720

Hood River

Parkdale Cascade Locks

Public service hours

*Budgeted amount

Numbers can be deceiving

2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2009-10 2011-12 2012-13*$0

$200,000

$400,000

$600,000

$800,000

$1,000,000

$1,200,000

$1,400,000

$785,648$690,820

$479,486

$0

$897,533

$1,268,993

Over 20% of the 2011-12 budget was grants and donations.One-third of the 2012-13 budget is carryover.

Hood River County Library (District) budget

Library district, take 1

Measure 14-37Creating a special library districtat the rate of $0.70 per $1,000

Why $0.70?

Governance● Policies● Boards● Missions● Long-range planning

Access● Branches● Electronic services● Hours● Outreach

Staff● Benefits● Credentials● Staff development● Volunteer vs paid

Materials& services

● Children's and adult programming

● Evaluation● Print and electronic offerings

Technology● Internet speed● Maintenance● Public computers and

wireless● Technology programming

Community involvement

● Civic involvement● Friends and Foundation● Partnerships● Volunteers

Standards for Oregon Public Libraries

What community wouldn't wanttheir libraries to be excellent?

Our community didn't

Measure 14-37Creating a special library districtat the rate of $0.70 per $1,000

FAILED54% to 46%

Hood River

Parkdale

Cascade Locks

Shuttered

And we made the news

Libraries in Hood River County Close

Oregon Public BroadcastingJuly 1, 2010

“”

Hood River County, OR Library to Close, After

Residents Vote Down District

Library JournalJune 4, 2010

“

”

Locking Up an Oregon Library, and Walking Away

The OregonianJuly 21, 2010

“”

Source: Yakley, C. (2010). "Summary of voter data"

A harsh way to learn invaluable info62%

54%60%

48%

38%43%

39%

38%

38%

35%41%

48% 31%

If you overlayed demographic maps of precincts with large Latino populations or many workers in the agricultural

sector, they would correspond almost perfectly with precincts

most against the district.

Salvation: November 2, 2010

Measure 14-39Creating a special library districtat the rate of $0.39 per $1,000

PASSED53% to 47%

Campaign

Salvation: November 2, 2010

Measure 14-39Creating a special library districtat the rate of $0.39 per $1,000

PASSED53% to 47%

FAILED54% to 46%

Measure 14-37Creating a special library districtat the rate of $0.70 per $1,000

Hood River County wouldnot have libraries right nowif they hadn't been closed.

But your mileage may vary.

Hard decisions

Should we rehire employees of the previous

county-run library?

Should we reopen all three branches?

Should we borrow against future tax revenue in order to open in July?

What does the community want its libraries to look like in 1 year, 5 years, 10 years?

What services can and can't we provide, now and

in the future?

Who should we hire?

The most important decisions

Library board:Who will we hire as director?

Library director:Who will I hire as staff?

*Budgeted amount

Out budget is awesome! ...

2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2009-10 2011-12 2012-13*$0

$200,000

$400,000

$600,000

$800,000

$1,000,000

$1,200,000

$1,400,000

$785,648$690,820

$479,486

$0

$897,533

$1,268,993

Hood River County Library (District) budget

... but look what else we have to do

Human resources

Finance

Maintenance

Information technology

Administration

Intergovernmental agreements

Legal services

Policies

Board governance

Collection development

Code of conduct

Exhibits

Financial managementIntellectual property

Employee healthcare benefits

Personnel

Internet and computer use Library card

Library directorevaluation

Meeting roomMission, vision, and values

Personal services

Public contracting

Privacy

Public records

Strategic goals

Volunteer

HRCLD is, in many ways, morelike JCLI (or LSSI in JacksonCounty) than the previous

county-run library.

County DistrictRetirement PERS 403(b)Unionized? Yes No

Health insurance Negotiated Monthly capsStep increases Automatic Merit-based

Volunteers 29 90+Volunteer hours 2,251 6,000+

Volunteer jobs Limited Anything we canget them to do!

Personnel differences

Increasing costs, decreasing revenues

Declining revenue from sale of county-owned timber

Mounting PERS costs

And we're reaching out

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