Date: Fri 29-Jan-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Booth-Library-budget

Full Text:

Library Usage Is Up, And So Is Its Proposed Budget

BY STEVE BIGHAM

When you are asking for an 11 percent increase in your budget, you had better

have the statistics to back it up. Members of the Library Board of Trustees

have become expert statisticians in recent years.

"We have 18,000 patrons -- more than any other organization in town," they

noted earlier this week.

The recent $4.1 million addition created a much-improved library and an

increase in usage. It all adds up to higher costs. The board is quick to point

out that there is justification for its $840,300 proposed budget, which

represents a $91,000 increase. Most of the added expenses are driven by

maintenance and contractual services.

"Non-discretionary items," noted Kevin Tepas. "Physical maintenance has gone

up $17,000 -- janitorial services, electricity, heat, etc."

As library board president Jim Larin points out, maintenance and personnel

costs make up $71,000 of the $91,000 increase.

"That's 80 percent of the total budget," he said.

The library also needs money for more books -- an additional $15,000.

"We need to replace the books that did not make it through the move," noted

library director Janet Woycik.

Board members said the library will generate about one-third of the $91,000

increase through fund-raisers, meaning the actual cost to the town is only

$62,700. The town will pay for more than 75 percent of the library's budget.

According to Mrs Woycik, the library has seen a huge increase in usage since

it re-opened just over a year ago. Its circulation jumped from 138,000 before

the addition to 163,000 this past year.

"The new library is a big success with the people in Newtown and obviously the

use certainly warrants a larger expenditure," noted Richard Sturdevant, a

library trustee.

According to the library board, Newtown's library ranks near the bottom among

area towns in average annual costs to the town. Newtown spends 0.65 percent,

while towns like Southbury, Bethel, Bridgewater and Brookfield all rank higher

-- between 1.1 and 1.44 percent.

Last year, the library budget was increased to $580,000, or 56 percent over

the previous year, due in large part to the additional 23,000 square feet

added to the building, which nearly tripled in size.

"Our budget has gone up significantly because it's a much bigger library. But

even with the increase, this is still a reasonable level compared to other

towns," Mr Larin said.

The Board of Selectmen was expected to take up the library's proposed budget

on Thursday. Trustees are expected to remind the selectmen that the library

costs Newtown less than other towns pay for their libraries.

The library board is self-perpetuating, which means it can appoint members to

12 of the 18 seats. The Board of Selectmen appoints residents to the remaining

six seats.

According to Mr Larin, people tend to give more support to those libraries

that have independent boards.