Library Usage Still Lagging Pre-Pandemic Levels According to Internal Data

Library usage still lagging pre-pandemic, but director paints rosier picture to board while stats tell different story.

Lagging Growth

The Christian County Library system continues to see lower usage numbers compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, according to circulation data and other internal metrics reviewed at a recent Library Board meeting on February 27th.

Library Executive Director Renee Brumett spent time during the meeting scrutinizing various usage statistics, which paint a picture of largely flat or declining usage across multiple areas. For example, overall circulation is down significantly from 2019, at 390,000 currently versus 510,000 previously. Digital collection usage has grown somewhat, but physical circulation remains stagnant.

Slow Growth at Best

The number of items borrowed and facility usage had begun rebounding after initial 2020 pandemic declines and closures, but still remain below the 2019 high water mark before COVID-19 impacted operations. This trend contradicts Brumett’s public messaging that library use is nearing or exceeding pre-pandemic levels.

If the Sparta Library Branch hadn’t opened, one could question if there would be any upward trend at all. The best that can be said, including Sparta’s numbers, is that we are barely moving upward again and we’re lucky we’re not free falling. I also have to wonder if the Library would have recovered faster if it hadn’t embraced radical ALA policies into their own policy manual.

Low Expectations

In the meeting, Brumett stated that her goal is to “maintain low expectations” regarding circulation and other usage metrics. This further suggests the library system is struggling to attract patrons at rates seen prior to 2020.

While a decline in library usage does not necessarily equate to worse service quality or community value, the internal statistics provide no evidence that the library system has recovered lost ground after initial pandemic impacts. Brumett’s defensive posture regarding the slow rebound raises questions about the library leadership priorities and strategic planning.

Dragging through the Weeds

Board member Janis Hagen repeatedly praised and encouraged Brumett’s reporting during the meeting, in what appeared to be an effort to fill time and prevent public comments or to bore the public commentators.

The meeting showcased a possible attempt to control messaging and deflect scrutiny over post-pandemic usage trends within the library system. The public deserves an accurate accounting of how community libraries are serving residents, not just positive spin. Actual usage numbers reveal patron interest and engagement more meaningfully than speeches or annual reports. The library board should encourage Brumett and other directors to confront and improve lackluster participation rates with specific outreach and initiatives, rather than glossing over the statistics.

Public Comments

During public comments given by a member of the community, the board and the staff were challenged with the number of books which teach Racism, Gender Mutilation, Anti-Christian, and contain images or written text of children having sex.

Image: Executive Director Renee Brumett appears upset as she sits behind a pile of books which are designed to radicalize children through sex, anti-religion, and Marxist ideology. One of the books was from a publisher named, Read Woke Books. These are just some of the books in Nixa and not all. There are more in the other three branches. Many of these books are for young children. The Board members decided to pull these books from the Nixa shelves until the could be reviewed for harmful material. Let’s hope they can be moved out of the Children’s section.

Image: Library Board President Allyson Tuckness as she listens to public comments. At the start of the public comments, she intimated that people shouldn’t leave the meeting room to go out to their car because it was a safety concern. Does she think members of the community were going to bring a gun into this room to cause harm from their car? Does she have so little faith in her own community? It was overheard by me that she was speaking to the police officer about removing us from the room if she decided to cancel the public comments. I was walking by and only heard a snippet, so I don’t have more to share about her comments to the police officer.

Library Board Meetings 2/27/24

Consent Agenda Notes

Board Members: Renee Brumett, Allyson Tuckness, Echo Alexander, Diane Brazeal, Janis Hagen

1. Minutes

   1. Minutes of the Monday, Dec. 18, 23 Special Meeting—Close Session

   2. Minutes of the Monday, Dec. 18, 23 Open Meeting

   3. Approved the minutes

   4. Traffic Peaked in 2019, closed some in 2019 for renovations and then 2020 Covid, some traffic has increased, but not as good as 2019. 

   5. Only real increase is because of Sparta and not really an increase otherwise. 

   6. She wants to maintain low expectations.

   7. Circulation is down too, including all forms of borrowing. 390K vs 510K in 2019

   8. Digital Collection—300K to 400K from 2021 to 2023

   9. Physical circulation is flat. 

   10. Meeting Room bookings are high in Nixa, but lower in the other 3 buildings. All external bookings. 

   11. They are not up to pre Covid numbers. Allyson claims that they are. 

   12. Renee is saying we are an anomaly because we have some growth compared to other libraries, in speaking to other Directors.

   13. Echo asks, “From your ED summary with the focus on removing barriers to resources, could you talk to us about what your focus is?

       1. To put things in place to sustain what we are already doing and training staff to know our resources. We have all the stuff, access to stuff, that we need and to provide consistent training, growth, regular training. Our staff knows the stuff and knows how to communicate the stuff. (She said stuff a lot).

       2. Janis says they are open to purchasing books and being open to the community. 

2. Financial Reports

   1. Adjustment to Anticipated bills for December 2023 & January 2024

   2. Estimated bills for Feb 24

   3. Balance Sheet

   4. Monthly Report

   5. YTD Budget Update

3. Report of the Executive Director

Administrative Highlights

• 2023 Annual Report

Old Business 

• Library Advocacy Day

  • Jefferson City to go up with 50-60 other librarians, trustees, and staff.

  • We’re able to meet with 1:1 with Gragg, Hudson, Titus’s staff, Senator Moon

  • We kept the meetings brief

  • We don’t talk about specific legislation

    • (I have some reasons to think this is not accurate, but cannot share yet. Hope I can soon. Until then, read this post which explains why they only want their taxbase to increase.)

  • We give them the annual report

  • And thanked them for the state aid 

  • Gave them some swag

  • Made library cards for the ones that didn’t have them.

  • That’s that in a nutshell.

  • Echo—seeing their priorities for the MLA and the lobbyists. 

    • Met the state librarian

    • SOS Ashcroft

New Business

• Time to make changes on Strategic Plan

• Offer Library Cards to non-residents for 20 per household

  • 2015

  • Do we want to raise that?

  • Want to tax people more?

  • Non Residents use digital materials

    • Cost more

  • Among the Lowest

  • Greene County charges $80 per household

  • Calculating makes it $35-40 She thinks $45 makes sense

  • Talks to the County Clerk

  • Wants to bring a proposal to the Board in the Future

  • Increase it incrementally?

  • Janis thinks it needs to be increased to make it “fair”

    • In favor of the direct bump

    • Take advantage of our facility—they could use their own county

  • They do get some revenue from it—doesn’t have an exact number, but a general estimate of 300 families equals $6000. Increasing it to $40 makes it $12,000. Don’t think it will be an increase to our revenue, but it might. (What happens if it becomes $4000 or $3000 because they have far less use.)

  • Allyson agrees with the cost change

    • Because everything is increasing, we should increase the costs.

    • It makes sense to pay more. 

    • She balked at SPG’s $80

  • She will bring an official proposal. 

• Facility Updates

  • A part time person cannot maintain 4 facilities

  • Additional Help

• Financials

  • $7K for snow and ice removal

  • Looking for cost savings

  • One HVAC unit has an issue. One of them will need to be replaced for $10K. 

  • Janis is praising her for looking at the bad HVAC unit.

    • She seems to be praising a lot.

  • Roofing issues

    • Cleaned, resealed, metal roof

    • Along the ridge line

  • Vehicle

    • Tires

    • Inspections

  • Nixa Building

    • Sprinkler System

    • Fire Suppression System

    • Requires testing

    • Services

    • Water Fountain Fixed

  • Ozark

    • Sign blew off in the Wind

    • Shelf fell at Ozark

    • The James Patterson Shelf

• Hired for an open part time IT department in January

  • He is working well

• Long Term Planning

  • IT Help system

  • This is transparency or is it filibustering?

  • Walk through with all the branch managers

    Copyright © 2024 by David Rice