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WHEELING - Officials with the Ohio County Public Library this week presented an outline of their formal request for American Rescue Plan Act funding from the city to help pay for planned improvements at the library.
Although city officials said they have to determine whether or not direct ARPA funds can be used for the proposed projects at the library, members of the Development Committee of Council agreed to recommend that the city help fund the improvements, even if the city had to find alternate funding sources.
Library Director Amy Kastigar, along with Assistant Director and Head of Adult Services Laura Carroll and Publicity and Web Coordinator Kyle Knox, attended this week’s Development Committee meeting at the City-County Building to explain the request, which in the initial submission was $96,560.
"We’ve amended our proposal a little bit to ask for - and this will be a surprise - less money," Kastigar said.
"This has never happened in the history of the city," the mayor retorted.
Kastigar explained that after the library submitted its initial proposal, a local foundation that shared the vision for the library’s planned upgrades approached them and agreed to fund two of the items originally outlined in the proposal. The foundation agreed to help fund expenditures for a hotspot lending program and new shelving in the children’s department, and library officials said they were greatly appreciative of the $20,000 gift.
Because of this contribution, the library amended its request to the city to include costs associated with its tablet lending program and audio-visual upgrades for the auditorium.
All of the improvements come in the wake of impacts made by the pandemic, Kastigar indicated, explaining that COVID-19 brought about lasting changes to the way many entities operate - including the public library.
"The COVID-19 pandemic had many lessons to teach us as a public institution," she said. "Social distancing, curbside service and the upswing in use of our online resources were just a few of the changes that we’ve successfully navigated in the past few years. The pandemic also brought home the fact that - with our online services in more demand than ever - we need to upgrade some of our equipment in order to better serve Wheeling and Ohio County."
The proposal for funding will help make modern technology and the library’s resources more accessible to the entire community, Kastigar said.
"The three-year tablet lending program will offer patrons tablets that will be available to check out and take home for the regular lending period of two weeks," she said. "Along with the hotspot lending program that has been funded, this would expand the library’s existing WiFi connectivity offerings beyond the library’s walls and into the homes of the community.
"As we know, internet access remains an issue for local residents for a variety of reasons, be it financial or geographical, or whatever."
Additionally, improvements to the video, audio and lighting to the library’s auditorium are included in the proposal.
"The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the need to offer programs virtually, as well as in-person," Kastigar said. "The library currently offers Lunch With Books, People’s University and Story Time - both in-person and virtually."
The proposed improvements will help make educational programs more accessible and will greatly improve the in-person experience at the facility, library officials noted. In addition to being a home for the free library programs, the public meeting spaces are offered for use by local non-profit organizations, as well.
"I just want to thank you for what you do," Vice Mayor Chad Thalman told the library officials. "I think the library is a wonderful resource for our community. I’m happy that we have the opportunity to help out."
The amended request for funding after the foundation donation was deducted from the overall total was around $75,560.
"This is such a valuable community resource," Mayor Glenn Elliott said. "I’ve been to many of the Lunch With Books and other events down there, and it’s just a great public space. It really is part of the public square of the city of Wheeling."
The mayor noted that officials need to research whether or not these projects will be considered eligible for direct ARPA funds.
"Either way, we have the funding to do it, and I think this is a priority for us," Elliott said.
When asked by Councilman Jerry Sklavounakis, Kastigar explained the financial backbones for the library’s normal operating expenses.
"We’re funded through three main sources - one is the county commission, one is the county board of education and one is the state grants and aid program," she explained.
City leaders noted that they were aware of some challenges the library faced in the Ohio County Board of Education’s commitment to funding the library. Last year, the board voted to reduce library funding from approximately $884,547 to $589,698 - or about $300,000 for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. The future of the school district’s commitment to funding the library remains unclear.
Regardless, members of the Development Committee of Council agreed to recommend approval of the library’s funding request and to forward it to the full city council for final consideration.