Between 2014 and 2019, the Santori Public Library of Aurora’s budget rose three times faster than the overall budget.
A comparison of the Aurora Library Budget from 2014, the last year of the Old Main Library, and 2019, with the new Santori Library, shows that the costs of the Santori Library have produced the budget issues that the Library is facing.
The year 2014 was the last full year of the Old Main Library and in 2015 was the opening of the Santori Library, and 2016 brought the close of the Church Road facility and the cuts in service at the West Branch.
In 2014 the Aurora Library Budget was $10.1 Million with the old Main Library. In 2019 the budget is $11.35 Million, an increase of 12.5% ($1.26 Million). However, in 2014 the Central Library Budget with the old Main Library was $5.6 Million. In 2019 the Central Library Budget with Santori will increase 41.8% ($2.35 Million). During that same period the Eola Branch Library budget rose 15.4% and the West Branch Budget declined 12.9% and the Church Road facility closed. The closing of the Church Road facility and reduction in services at West Branch saved approximately $1.41 Million. But that did not result in savings to the taxpayers. Those savings were almost totally absorbed with the $2.35 Million increase of the Central Library with Santori.
The Central Library budget may include central administration costs. However, it does not explain why Central Library costs with Santori rose 41.8% while the overall Library Budget rose only 12.5% between 2014 and 2019.
Santori Library is the most expensive facility on a per unit basis for visitors and circulation.
Based on personnel costs and the 2018 Library circulation and visitor counts, the Santori Library is the most expensive facility on a per unit basis. Based on the 440,780 circulation and the $2.8 Million personnel budget, the cost per item circulated from Santori is $6.40. The cost at West Branch is $4.96 and Eola Road is most efficient at $2.56. Cost for outreach circulation is high at $6.17 per item. The per visitor cost at Santori is $10.46 while West Branch is $7.99 and Eola comes in at $6.28. The Outreach visitor cost is high at $16.44.
Conclusion: Based on this analysis, Santori Library costs are driving the Library Budget problems. Rather than drawing resources from the Branch Libraries, the Library Board should address the cost issues at the Santori Library.
Source: Statistics from information provided by the Aurora Public Library
—Prepared by David L Pierce