Library budget to include building updates

Missouri River Regional Library's main facility in Jefferson City. (News Tribune file photo)
Missouri River Regional Library's main facility in Jefferson City. (News Tribune file photo)

The Missouri River Regional Library drafted plans for facility and service updates in its 2017 preliminary budget at Tuesday's board meeting.

Among MRRL's biggest needs are new front doors. The existing entrance isn't original to the building, but the doors have aged to the point it's difficult to order replacement parts, Library Director Claudia Schoonover said. In July alone, 21,696 people walked through the sliding front doors. More than 280,000 visited the library in 2015.

Purchasing a basin heater is also a priority, which will extend use of the building's air conditioning. Currently, the library's cooling system is only on during the summer, leaving building occupants vulnerable to unseasonably warm days during the spring and fall, Schoonover said.

The board also wants to update the building's fire alarm system.

In terms of services, Schoonover said MRRL is replacing the picture book shelving in the children's department and giving the teen center a face-lift with new furniture. Also, security cameras will be added on the first floor.

"It's sad but true that we need security cameras in this day and age," she said.

Over the past couple months, library staff have discussed needs and priorities since funding restraints restrict how many projects are done each year. The staff decided to postpone replacing one of its vans until 2018.

Staff will address the uneven concrete outside the library before the end of 2016. Schoonover said they've had some falls and people complaining about the uneven ground.

This year, there aren't as many programming and public service updates because an $8,000 increase in last year's budget enabled the library to bring back storytime at area schools and have a wider variety of authors and speakers visit.

On Tuesday, the board went over the preliminary $3.21 million budget which is approximately $60,000 higher than the current year.

The board also voted to keep the property tax levy at $.20 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. It's the maximum levy allowed by law and is where the library gets roughly 90 percent of its funding.

Schoonover said there has been a lot of movement at the library lately. They're in the process of working on a long-range plan to determine ways they can better serve the community, including expanding the use of their bookmobile to areas in Jefferson City without easy access to the library.

"We have a lot going on and we're trying to be good stewards of taxpayers' money," Schoonover said. "We hope that if some of the (community members) haven't been in the library doors that they'll consider visiting the library and seeing what we have to offer."

In the near future, the library will hold meetings in all five city wards to hear from residents how the library can improve.