2011 Library FundingThe Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Board of Trustees has adopted a FY2011 budget that provides Library service at 20 locations, with reduced hours, beginning July 6. The FY2011 budget includes historic contributions from the City of Charlotte, five towns in Mecklenburg County, and funding from Mecklenburg County.
This additional funding has given the Library a year to examine its operation and funding models, and build a sustainable platform for the future. Two groups are being formed to perform that examination:
- Task Force for the Future of the Library, which will be chaired by and comprised of thoughtful and creative citizens, who will do a high-level examination of how to create a sustainable, stable funding base for the Library.
- Library-County Restructuring Committee, which will be comprised of three members of the Library Board, and three County Commissioners. This committee will be supported by a Steering Committee comprised of Library and County staff. The group will examine several things, including the consolidation with County of some functions such as IT, human resources, communications, finance, and capital projects management.
Funding OutlookWhile the Library receives much of its funding from Mecklenburg County, the Library is a separate, independent entity with its own governing body, the Board of Trustees. The Library operates on a fiscal year that begins July 1. The FY 2011 Library Budget, which began July 1, 2010, is approximately $25 million with $23.3 million of that coming from municipalities: $21.17 million from Mecklenburg County, $1.4 million from the City of Charlotte, and $730,000 five towns in Mecklenburg County.
FY2011 Presentations & Planning Documents
Fiscal Stewardship
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has a strong commitment to customer service. The greatest asset and expense that the Library has is in its personnel. Personnel expense has historically been 75% of the Library’s total budget, followed by General Operating (building maintenance, utilities and basic operational expenses), which is 18%, and Books and Materials, which is 9% and Programs & Outreach which is 1%.
Each year, an independent audit is conducted on the Library’s financial statements, internal controls and compliance with government accounting standards. The Library’s financial reports (and the audit opinions on those reports) are available here:
Library Usage
The Library has experienced fluctuations and reductions in recent budget years, coupled with an ever-increasing demand for Library services. For this reason, the Library will continue to examine daily operations to find efficiencies that provide value to the citizens of Mecklenburg County.
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Budget News
Press releases about the Library’s budget.
Budget news archive
Related Resources
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library by the numbers
Fast facts about the system.
How Libraries Stack Up
(2010 report)
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