Longboat Library campaign seeks to balance books

Patrons will soon find an extra page in the books they check out from the Longboat Library and in their mailboxes: a flier detailing the library’s expenses. Its part of a campaign that the library — a non-profit organization staffed entirely by volunteers — will begin shortly in hopes of creating awareness about its finances and eventually approaching the Longboat Key Town Commission to ask for a line-item contribution in its budget of between $15,000 and $20,000.

“The library is losing about $7,000 per year,” said board member Hazel Steskal. “All of our money comes from memberships and grants and donations. We can’t cut expenses anywhere else except to not buy more books.”

Make no mistake about it: The library isn’t going anywhere.

Vice Mayor David Brenner brought up concerns about the library at the end of the Longboat Key Town Commission’s Jan. 9 regular meeting.

“I’m hearing a concern expressed by some that the library has a short life ahead of it,” Brenner said, addressing his comment to Town Manager David Bullock. “I don’t believe that’s the case, but I wanted to ask you if there’s any truth.”

Bullock said that he had met with library representatives the week before and did not hear that the library had a “short life.” He pointed out that the group invested in its building two years ago by installing a new roof.

Steskal, who was one of the representatives who met with Bullock, said that the library has approximately $70,000 left in its reserves — an amount that has been shrinking for eight years as the library makes up for budget shortfalls.

The library runs on an annual budget of approximately $28,000 a year, approximately $12,000 of which comes from membership fees. The town owns the library building and its land at 555 Bay Isles Road, which the group leases for $10 per year. Aside from a $4,411 town grant in 2005 to upgrade books on CD, the town generally has not contributed financially to the library in the past. Last year, representatives approached the commission to ask about ways that the town could help shoulder costs, possibly by adding the library to its insurance. According to Steskal, the town was unable to add the library to its insurance because it is a separate entity from the town.

Steskal said that library representatives will also meet next week with Sarasota County Commissioner Joe Barbetta to see if county funds could be available. In the near future, the group hopes to address the commission and eventually get on the agenda when the town holds budget workshops.

“We’re trying to be proactive about this,” Steskal said.