REPORT TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Mathews Memorial Library
Bette Dillehay, Director
September 10, 2019
This report is intended to provide the Chairman and members of the Board of Trustees with a report of activities during the period July 9 - September 10, 2019. It is the first report for Fiscal Year 2019-2020.
Financial Report
Current Reporting Period
The current financial report is a statement of resources and expenses for a two-month period ending September 1, 2019. Operational expenses for the bi-monthly period totaled $16,667.60, representing a $44.99% increase over the same period a year ago. This increase reflects a payment of the annual license fee ($7,760.56) for the library’s catalog system. The system, (Autographics) provides for maintaining the catalog and access to it by patrons. This same fee was incurred in the previous fiscal year but at a later date.
Salaries and related expenses
The amount budgeted for salaries and related benefits for FY 2019-2020 is $275,184, a .816 % increase over the amount allocated for the previous fiscal year ($272,955). For 2019-2020, $214,733 is allocated for salaries and $60,451 for benefits.
Budget
Initially, the Board of Supervisors approved a budget of $386,913 for FY 2019-2020 for the library. At the request of the director, the Board passed a resolution of amendments which included the re-allocation of $7,000 to Line Item 3160-Compution Installation and Maintenance for the purpose of replacing three staff computers. Funds totaling $17,481, held by the library for the Coalition for Kids (C4K), was also re-appropriated to the current FY budget. The current budget total now stands at $411,394.
Library Endowment
The endowment established by the library in 2006 at the Community Foundation has a current balance of $85,464.51. The fund was initially established with a deposit of $!0,000, the amount received from the Institute of Museums and Library Services (a federal agency) as the result of being chosen as the best rural library in the US. The net investment return for the report period ending 6/30/19 was $5,771.52.
Patrons
The number of patrons now stands at 9,804 The number of new patrons added during the report period totaled 65.
Personnel
The Board of Supervisors recently adopted a resolution creating a Broadband Advisory Committee composed of citizens and local IT experts. The library’s head of technology services, Greg Lewis was asked, and accepted, membership on the committee.
Programs
Summer 2019
In May, 2019, Friends of the Library, deposited $11,525 into a special library account at Chesapeake Bank. This fund was in response to a request made by the director to support summer youth activities and Soothin’ Summer Sounds, a series of music concerts scheduled throughout the season. Of that amount expenses for the season totaled $9,540.06
Attendance at all events was higher than expected. The youth program, Footprints by the River, attracted 118 registrations for children 6 through 14. An additional 39 children attended storytime events held each Wednesday in association with the program. The adult events were equally well attended with more than 200 at the three Soothin’ Summer Sounds events held in June, July and August. An additional program offered by the Virginia Symphony quartet took place on Wednesday, August 21st. Partially funded through a grant, the event was billed as a family event also featuring an ice cream social. Seventy-six adults and children attended.
Upcoming Events
The staff is currently researching how to anticipate and meet community needs through programs, workshops and collection development. It is expected that a fall festival in late October will be scheduled.