The Barrie Public Library could turn the page toward a funding source for its new security and navigating community services.
A recent meeting between library and County of Simcoe officials could offer some fiscal relief to the city's library.
“The county does have some funding opportunities, but we will need to apply for the funds through their process of course,” Christopher Vanderkruys, the Barrie library's director of business and development, told BarrieToday. “If we are successful with the grant from the County of Simcoe, then we will be able to reduce the municipal (city) grant by the projected $73,387 we anticipated spending this fiscal year (on a new position).
“I am not sure if (Barrie city) council will do an amendment to the budget request, stipulating if we are successful in receiving the funds from the county our 2024 funding request will be reduced by the budgeted amount for that position within our presentation, or maybe they will want us to put that value towards collection purchases," Vanderkruys added.
The new library position, valued at $73,387 for three-quarters of 2024, is for information referral and community navigation services that would link vulnerable people to the most appropriate services and supports, promote mental health and well-being during what the Barrie Public Library calls an unprecedented mental health, addictions and food insecurity crises.
At the same time, this year’s library budget would cut $100,000 from library materials and programs, resulting in fewer library materials and longer wait times for the most popular items.
The Barrie Public Library is asking that the municipal or city grant portion of this year’s budget increase to $9,891,033 from $9,373,110 last year.
Deputy Mayor Robert Thomson said he would prefer the $73,387 be subtracted from this year’s city grant, if the Barrie Public Library is successful with county funding.
“(The library board) felt that there was room to reduce that (library materials) purchase to go for a position that’s really not in their core function, in my opinion,” he said. “They asked for it, we found the funding formula for it so we should just leave the money.”
Thomson also said the Barrie Public Library should have used a different approach in their budget.
“They should have just come with the ask. Don’t deduct their materials purchase, and ask for both,” he said.
Thomson also said he’d like a library budget with a great deal more detail in areas such as grant funding, donations/gifts and library reserves.
“I just think you can make better decisions, right,” he said. “With the library, I don’t know where their revenue sources are and where their deficiencies are. Why did they lose grant funding. We should know all that. I’m the steward of people’s money.”
The Barrie Public Library is asking for another 5.53 per cent in city funding this year, or $517,923 more, including the $78,387, in its 2024 budget, presented to city council Jan. 17. It will be part of this Wednesday’s budget deliberations as well.
For the information referral and community navigation position, library chief executive officer Lauren Jessop has told council that the Barrie Public Library has no desire to duplicate the work being carried out by social agencies or deviate from its mandate.
But she has also said library staff need support to connect people to the right agencies and help to de-escalate someone who might be going through a tough time, especially at the downtown branch.
The Barrie Public Library is looking at contracting out, to another agency, for support in helping people navigate the social services system — so that issues such as housing and employment can be resolved.
Last week, some councillors expressed concerns with city funding for the new position, especially since the the Barrie Public Library budget cuts $100,000 from library materials and programs, resulting in fewer library materials and longer wait times for the most popular items.
Mayor Alex Nuttall pointed out that the nearby Busby Centre has social and support workers, and that the city provides funding to the County of Simcoe to deal with social services in Barrie, he said.
The city pays millions of dollars to the county annually to provide a wide range of social services, as mandated by the province.
Jessop has said libraries across Canada have been using community navigation or community outreach workers for a decade.
The Barrie Public Library has two security guards in place at the downtown branch, but they’re not always best suited to meet the challenges of people seeking social services.
The city budgeted almost $1.18 million for security services in 2023, $1.21 million in 2022 and has budgeted $1.23 million for 2024, including at the library.
The Barrie Public Library is asking that the municipal or city grant portion of this year’s budget increase to almost $9.9 million from nearly $9.4 million last year. Inflation is expected to add $180,697 to its expenses this year.
Salaries and benefits this year would total $6.64 million, an increase from $6.38 million last year. This breaks down to a salary increase of $158,247, $99,591 more in benefits, for a $258,839 total. The Barrie Public Library has 95 employees at its three local branches.
Not every portion of library operations and expenses is increasing.
The library materials and programs budget would fall to $1.3 million this year from $1.4 million from last year.
Somewhat offsetting those savings is an expected four to eight per cent increase in what the Barrie Public Library calls vendor costs — library materials, books, DVDs, etc. The library is also raising the cost of non-Barrie resident membership from to $100 from $75 to reflect inflation and enhanced library services.
No provincial funding increase is expected, but the Barrie Public Library says advocacy is in progress.
The Barrie Public Library has budgeted for total 2024 expenses of $10.46 million, paid for by the $9.89 million city grant and $569,749 in other grants and fees. Last year’s nearly $9.4 million city grant was augmented by $841,183 in other fees and grants for a $10.2-million budget total.
The library's 2024 budget requires city council approval and that will be considered at its Jan. 31 meeting.
The Barrie Public Library has 12,473 new library members since last year, for a total of 41,145, and also had a 52 per cent increase to in-person visits last year, compared to 2022.
Its downtown branch, on Worsley Street, was built in 1996 and is 56,200 square feet, while the Painswick branch on Dean Avenue is 15,000 sq. ft. and was built in 2011. The Holly Community Library, located at 555 Essa Rd., opened in mid-2022 and is 4,500 sq. ft.
There are plans for more branches in Barrie — in community centres planned in the Hewitt's and Salem areas in the former Innisfil land, each at 15,000 sq. ft. in size.
