Caledonia Argus

Bookmobile may be phased out by yearís end

Posted: 10/1/02

by Jane Palen
Managing editor

At a meeting of the county commissioners September 17, Anne Hutton, who is executive director of SELCO, told the board that the bookmobile would probably continue to serve Houston for at least a year, but this week said that the phase-out will probably come sooner.

Hutton had stated in the meeting that Houston has not yet met the statutory requirements to be considered a public library. One of those requirements is that at least 51 percent of the libraryís funding must come from tax dollars. Hutton said that while that may be true in Houstonís case, she hasnít seen the paperwork. Once she has the documents she needs, she will apply to the state to have Houston designated a public library and a member of SELCO.

ìThey keep telling me it does (meet the requirements), and I believe them, but I donít have the paperwork,î said Hutton. ìPeople there have done a great job. They need to get the paperwork to me and Iíll get it up there.î

Larry Jerviss, city clerk administrator for Houston, told The Argus that in 2000, the city contributed $5,000 to the library fund. In 2002, $10,000 from city tax dollars was put into the library fund, representing 53 percent of the libraryís total budget.

For 2003, the city has proposed raising $45,000 for the library through city tax dollars. That amount represents 93 percent of the libraryís budget.

ìWe had to budget with the idea that we wouldnít be getting any money from SELCO,î said Jerviss.

The library has benefitted from a number of donations, said Jerviss, including nearly $5,000 from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for computers. A donation of $5,000 was received to help in the cost of paving the parking lot, and another $900 for improving the entryway, to name just a few.

The requirement that the library be automated to be a SELCO member will not apply to Houston because SELCO is in the midst of changing the system it uses.

ìItís an obstacle that Houston didnít create, but SELCO did,î said Hutton.

Hutton plans to meet with representatives of the library and work on plans to phase out the bookmobile. Once that is done, the funds can be shifted to the library. Currently, the county funds $6,510 for bookmobile service to Houston.

Also, Hutton acknowledged that there are large print and audio books available at the Houston Library, and the bookmobile also offers those items.

Top of Page