Hello everyone and welcome back to our monthly library report. Read on for all the latest library news and updates that I share with the board each month. The library board meets on the second Wednesday of the month at 5PM in the lower level of the library. The meetings are open to the public and all are welcome to attend.

Our annual report is being reviewed by the library board this week. Last month I mentioned our total circulation for 2022, which is 35,755. Circulation, along with library expenses, is used to determine the county funding we receive through the “cost per circ” equation. This equation is our total expenses for the year divided by our total circulation during that same time frame. This number is then multiplied by the number of eligible circulations in a specific county. To give an example, if the library spent $100,000 in a year with a total circulation of 10,000, our “cost per circ” is $10.00.

There are two other important considerations when talking about county reimbursement. First of all, not every circulation is “eligible” to be reimbursed. Whether a circulation is eligible for reimbursement depends on the residential location of the patron who generated that circulation. For example, if a patron lives within Stanley city limits, their checkouts and renewals are not eligible for county reimbursement because they are a resident of a municipality with a library. The same goes for residents of Cadott, Thorp, and any other village, town, or city with a library.

The other major element of the county reimbursement calculation is the percentage at which the amount is reimbursed. 70% is the minimum a county can choose to reimburse a library for, with some counties like Chippewa and Eau Claire gradually moving towards reimbursing at 100%. Many other counties around us are still reimbursing at 70%, so we can be proud of Chippewa and Eau Claire counties for their dedication to moving forward in supporting libraries.

To sum up, returning to our previous example, a library with $100,000 in expenses and a total circulation of 10,000 would never get $100,000 in county reimbursement. This is because not all of those circulations would be eligible and only some, if any, would be reimbursed at 100%. County funding is governed by Wisconsin State Statute and is a major contributor to library revenue each year. It is a complicated yet vitally important aspect of library funding; if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask.

Programs this month include Storytime on the 9th and 23rd at 10:30AM, Creative Writing Guild on the 14th and 28th at 2PM, Teen Creative Writing Guild on the 16th at 4PM, Play & Learn on the 13th and 27th at 10AM, and Girls Who Code Clubs on the 22nd at 4PM. Just Create It is also on the 22nd this month at 2PM and features dot painting art! The book club is reading The Long Walk by Slavomir Rawicz this month and will meet on March 2nd, at 2PM to discuss the book.

The library is open for you Monday through Friday from 10AM-6PM. Come in any time to use the computers, find a book or movie, borrow a WiFi hotspot or iPad, or use our printer to fax, scan, and copy. We are also still offering curbside pick-up to those who wish to use that option, as well as home delivery for the elderly and home-bound. Take care and see you soon!