May 19, 2022
For the past twenty years, when spring comes, I can count on several things. As flowers return and leaves emerge from tree branches, I’m going to struggle with my seasonal allergies. Spring also means that I will be exceptionally optimistic about the chances for the Kansas City Royals and, except for a couple of years, my hopes will be dashed quickly. It also means that the Library will be ending one budget year and preparing for a new one.
For the twenty budgets that I’ve helped to prepare for Mid-Continent Public Library, I really think this year’s exercise was the most challenging. It really does seem that every year will hold some new wrinkle. Whether it was revenue hurdles following the Great Recession or the once-in-a-generation inflation that we are experiencing this year, the challenge always seems to be unique.
Along with inflationary pressure, a new complication of this spring is that MCPL is only now starting to get to a time and a place where we might have a baseline for activity. The pandemic has greatly influenced how people were able to use their libraries over the past two years. The two years before that, MCPL had several libraries out of commission as we remodeled and reimagined our libraries. One really must go back to 2016 or 2017 to find a full year of “normal” library use. Going back that far makes comparisons with a different library from what we have now. We didn’t have community rooms, drive up windows and curbside service, mobile & remote printing, or Wi-fi-to-go (for example). The big challenge to creating a budget this year is trying to figure out what “normal” looks like.
The Library staff provided a draft budget proposal to the Library Board at the May Board Meeting. Between now and the June 21 Board Meeting, people will be looking at the budget and asking questions about the Library’s financial future – that includes you! There should be copies of the proposed budget at any of the MCPL locations or you can view it online. There will also be a public hearing at North Independence at 10 a.m. on June 10 to hear comments about the proposed levy rate and the 2022-23 Budget.
As I mentioned, I’ve been helping to draft these budgets for twenty years. It is a little sentimental to know that this will my last budget draft at MCPL. Although challenging in ways I could not anticipate a year ago, I think this budget will provide the guidance for the Library to provide the best library experience in the nation.
Steven V. Potter
Library Director and CEO
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