Libraries keep budgets tight

On the same day that Hewlett-Woodmere and Lawrence school district residents go to the polls for the school budgets and trustees, they can also vote on the library budgets and board members for the Hewlett-Woodmere and Peninsula public libraries.

Like the school districts, the libraries were held to the 0.12 percent state mandated tax cap, what Peninsula Library Director Carolynn Matulewicz call “a practically non-existent tax cap increase this year.

Holding the line on expenses has been a challenge, said Hewlett-Woodmere Director William Ferro. “We reduced staff a little, but we are not trying to reduce materials,” he said. “It’s getting challenging as we are not seeing the 2 percent cap, but are still in pretty good shape.

Hewlett-Woodmere’s proposed operating budget is $6.293 million a jump of $46,914 over the current $6.246 million budget. Expenses for personal are up nearly $69,000 and $30,000 for library materials.

Ferro believes the library plays an important role in the community. “There is use of the computers, the programming, concerts, lectures, book discussions, story time, children’s programs, especially when schools are closed,” he said. “There has been an uptick in electronic resources, checking out books and magazines.”

Peninsula’s planned budget is nearly $3.177 million an increase of $19,500 above the current $3.157 million fiscal plan. Staff costs are up nearly $40,000 and but expenses such as supplies, utilities, insurance, repairs and maintenance, furniture and equipment and printing, publicity and postage decreased almost $5,000.

“We were able to move some things around to balance this budget and keep the same level of services for our patrons and that was a challenge, but I am happy to say we made it work,” Matulewicz said. “Library services are a good value for the money.”

Both libraries have trustees up for re-election who are running unopposed. Current PPL secretary Jeff Leb and present HWPL treasurer Frank Zaret.

HWPL by the numbers
14,640 cardholders
322,004 circulation transactions
201,019 visits
118,000-plus website visits
51,000 using in-house Wi-Fi
More than 700 programs
524 kids/young adults for summer reading

Fiscal year: July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015.

PPL by the numbers
17,832 cardholders
343,000 circulation transactions
20,000-plus items added
67,500-plus reference questions answered
283 programs
10,000-plus program attendance
35,000plus using in-house Wi-Fi
800 sponsored free museum visits