AGENDA CAPTION:
Title
Consider approval of Resolution 2024-216R, approving a contract between the City and Hays County for the City’s provision of Library Services to residents of Hays County, with the City to receive $85,000.00 from the County; authorizing the City Manager, or her designee, to execute the contract on behalf of the City; and declaring an effective date.
Body
Meeting date: November 6, 2024
Department: Library
Amount & Source of Funding
Funds Required: N/A
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Fiscal Note:
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Background Information:
Hays County has appropriated a total of $225,000 for library services in FY 2025. This funding will be distributed among the five public libraries in Hays County. Our library will receive $85,000, which is 38% of the total appropriation. The libraries in Wimberley, Buda, Kyle, and Dripping Springs will each receive $35,000. This is the same amount as FY2024 and the last increase occurred in FY2018. The San Marcos Public Library requested $140,000.
The county is requesting approval of the contract before the funds are released to the city. The contract calls for the library to provide free library services to Hays County residents and submit quarterly financial reports to the county. If the city does not approve the contract, county residents who live outside the city limits would have to pay a fee in order to borrow materials from the library. Current library card fees are $28.00 for a three-month, full-service card or $56.00 for a year-long card. A limited-service card is also available for $11.00.
About 19% of our cardholders reside in the county, but outside of our city limits. Each year since 2018, the percentage of cardholders from the county has declined. It is difficult to estimate what percentage of those cardholders would purchase a non-resident card. By ordinance, children in our school district are eligible for free library cards which family members can share. The library also participates in a statewide reciprocal borrowing program known as TexShare. These factors limit our ability to raise revenue through individual library card fees. It is also labor intensive to collect thousands of individual card fees rather than taking a lump-sum payment from the county.
Council Committee, Board/Commission Action:
On September 23,2024, the library board recommended approval of the Hays County contract.
Alternatives:
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Recommendation:
Staff recommends approval.