Caledonia Argus

Houston will keep bookmobile service for now

Posted: 9/24/02

by Jane Palen
Managing editor

The City of Houston will be served by both its new library and the SELCO Bookmobile for at least a year, county commissioners learned at their meeting of September 17.

Anne Hutton, executive director of SELCO, and Ginger Stemme, director of the bookmobile, met with commissioners to discuss funding for SELCO (Southeast Libraries Cooperating).

Commissioner Kevin Kelleher opened the discussion by asking why SELCO is sending the bookmobile to Houston when Houston now is served by a public library.

Hutton explained that for purposes of funding, Houstonís newly opened library is not a ìpublicî library. In order to be considered a public library, at least 51 percent of the funding for the library must come from the city through taxes. While the library in Houston has been financed through donations, it is not supported through taxes.

ìBut isnít it ridiculous that we are spending tax dollars for a bookmobile to park in front of the library?î Kelleher asked. He said he believes having the bookmobile stop in Houston is a direct duplication of services.

Hutton explained that the bookmobile is a cost-effective way to get recent books to the people of Houston. The bookmobileís circulation for 2001 was 8,249, and the cost was $6,510. The only other location in the county served by the bookmobile is Spring Grove. Total circulation for the two was 10,048, and costs were $9,450 for a net cost of $.94 for each book.

ìHouston has phenomenal use,î she remarked.

Hutton said that she did not want to leave bookmobile users without that service until the Houston Library is equipped to take over.

ìThe library will get there,î she said. ìHouston has the potential.î

The library is not yet automated, which is a requirement for membership in SELCO. Once automated, the library will be able to share materials with other libraries in the system. It does not yet offer large print or audio books, which are available in the bookmobile.

ìThey need one year to get on their feet,î said Hutton. She agreed that the bookmobile should not be ìan ongoing thing,î but SELCO does not want to take a good resource away.

Kelleher said he gets comments from taxpayers who think itís foolish for government to duplicate services.

ìIt looks bad,î Kelleher remarked.

Hutton responded ìWe need an actual plan so you can address that. People need to understand that when the bookmobile stops coming, those funds will go to the library.î

SELCOís request was for the county to fund $71,743 for library services. That amount reflects the usage of rural county residents at city libraries in Caledonia, Hokah, La Crescent, and Spring Grove, and the bookmobile.

Total circulation at the Caledonia Library in 2001 was 34,706. County residents accounted for 11,795 of those transactions. With a total operating budget of $35,930, it cost the Caledonia Public Library $12,211 to provide services to rural county residents.

In Hokah, a much greater percentage of the library usage is by rural residents. Of the 16,353 transactions, 9,145 were by rural residents. Of the $20,757 operating budget, $11,608 will come from the county.

In La Crescent, the operating budget for the library was $119,185 in 2001. Total usage was 73,376 with 22,905 of those transactions made by rural residents at a cost of $37,205.

Spring Groveís library had a total circulation of 3,996 in 2001 and a budget of $11,056. Rural usage was 459 for a cost of $1,270.

Bookmobile services cost $9,450, which the county is asked to fund entirely.

Commissioners were informed that Rushford will be requesting funding in 2004. In 2001, usage of the Rushford library by rural Houston County residents was 2,389 transactions at a cost of $5,805.

This yearís request for 2003 compares with $59,844 contributed by the county for 2002.

Top of Page