There is, as yet, no firm number on the cost for a future library addition—but there is the 2022-23 annual budget to consider.

Approved in regular council Nov. 17, the library budget has its own revenue and expenditure spreadsheet. In revenue the budget as approved includes $77,124 from county aid and $500 designated as “library revenue,” with an ad- ditional $101,000 transferred in from the city’s general fund.

County aid is calculated by taking the Total budget from two years ago (in this case 2021) and dividing it by the total number of circulations.

This number is then divided up for reimbursement according to the county in which the materials circulated, while “library revenue” refers to incomes from copies, faxes and billed items, such as a damaged book.

On the expenditures side of the current library budget, library wages and salaries come out on top at $84,136, followed with library general operations at $31,611. Library employee benefits take up $22,197 of this year’s expenditures, while library collection materials come in at $18,000. Library utility billings are $13,120 and building repair and maintenance at $4,560.

Closing out the expenditures is $3,500 in budgeted office supplies, and $1,500 for building and content insurance.

No news is expected on the ongoing library addition project for at least a month or two.