Library has ideas for funding

by Nathan Arneal
Published 9/13/06

North Bend Public Library director Amy Reznicek attended the Sept. 5 city council meeting to share some fund raising ideas she had for the library.

As detailed in an Aug. 2 Eagle story, the council has been concerned for the library’s financial future. Expenses have risen dramatically since the new library opened in 2012 and the library has depended on reserve funds in CDs to operate. Those reserve funds have been reduced by half – from about $64,000 to under $33,000 – since the new library’s opening. The council wants to see the library explore new revenue ideas before those funds run out.

Reznicek started by giving some stats. She said before the COVID pandemic the library received 12,000 visitors a year. Now it is 7,000 annually. The library had 115 kids and 18 adults sign up for the summer reading program with 62 reaching their goal. The library hosted nine programs in June with 252 people attending them.

As far as funding, Reznicek said she and some other local librarians might approach the county board of supervisors. She did a survey of nearby counties to see what they provided their libraries and it was all over the map. Madison County provides its six libraries $10,000 each. Colfax provides $6,000 each while Burt and Washington counties provide $1,500 to $1,200 each. Saunders County and Dodge County do not provide their libraries any funding.

The North Bend library is also hosting a fundraiser at the Quasar drive-in movie theater southeast of Fremont on Highway 36 on Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. Monty Python and the Holy Grail will be show. Admission will be a free will donation and will go to the library. Reznicek said the Valley library recently did the same fundraiser and brought in about $1,000.

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