By Lisa Carolin
The Chelsea District Library board unanimously approved the library’s 2021 budget at its Sept. 15 meeting via Zoom.
The 2021 budget includes total operating expenses of $2,027,684. The budget includes a 2-percent pay increase for all staff, and expenses are up 0.9 percent as is revenue from 2020.
Library Director Lori Coryell reminded the board that Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s latest executive order regarding COVID-19 extends the state of emergency through Oct. 1. The library will continue to operate at Stage 3, which means curbside delivery and virtual and remote offerings.
Beginning the week of Oct. 5, laptops will be available for checkout. Also starting that week, the library’s Saturday hours will be extended to a 5 p.m. closing.
The Young at Art exhibit is currently on display in the library’s McKune Room, and will be there until Sept. 30. It is available for viewing by the public by appointment only.
The selection for the 2021 Washtenaw Reads book selection will be announced the first week of October. The program is a community initiative to promote reading and civic dialogue through reading and discussing a common book and will also include libraries in Dexter, Ann Arbor, Saline, Milan, Ypsilanti, and Northfield Township.
Collections: 9% of the budget??!! You’ve got to be kidding me! Smacks as poor management
“Collections” refers to library materials such as books, videos, CDs, etc. which are available for checkout. Hope this helps!