Question: What is happening at the Dormann Library?

Answer: As many of you know, our library budget vote failed in June and the library has been facing serious decisions regarding the future of our organization. The library is reducing hours, reducing staff, and reducing programming. This is very difficult and we thank you for your patience and continued support during this difficult time.

Question: Okay, but what about the budget and staffing?

Answer: Based on our strategic plan, we are making changes to our staffing model.

Question: Aren’t you just cutting staff because the budget didn’t pass?

Answer: No. We took the budget vote as a signal that the community expects the library to evolve. Based on our strategic plan, we are doing just that.

Question: What is this “evolution”?

Answer: We are moving away from using mostly part-time employees to using mostly full-time employees. We believe this will help us attract, develop, and retain the best workforce possible.

Question: How can changing to mostly full-time staff build a stronger workforce?

Answer: By offering people the type of jobs that they can build a career and life around, we will attract people dedicated to long-term service to the library, while offering compensation and benefits that enable us to retain them, even as we tighten the budget.

Question: Why can’t the library continue operating as it has in the past?

Answer: Past budgets relied heavily on generous one-time donations. Such gifts are not a reliable source of operational funding.

Question: What changes can patrons expect?

Answer: As a result of the budget vote, there will be reductions in services. We are working to keep those within regulatory requirements and to maintain the services we know are the most valued by the community. We will also be working with the public to develop a budget and proposed tax levy for the next year; by building in community input, we believe the proposal will have the support of the community.

Question: Will library hours change?

Answer: Yes, library hours will be reduced to 35 hours per week beginning after Fair Week. New library hours will be:

Monday: 9am to 4pm

Tuesday: Closed

Wednesday: 11am to 6pm

Thursday: Noon to 8pm

Friday: 10am to 5pm

Saturday: 10am to 4pm

Sunday: Closed

Question: What is “Fair Week”?

The library closes for the week while the Steuben County Fair is in town each year. During the closure, library staff run important trainings and work on large projects that cannot be done during normal library hours. This year, the library’s lighting will be updated and repaired using grant funding to improve efficiency and accessibility.

Question: Will library programs and events continue?

Answer: Yes! The library will continue to offer programs and events. That said, events will be limited this year. We hope to work with the community to secure the funding to bring library programs, collections, and services back to the level the community has grown accustomed to.

Question: Will children’s, teens’, and adults’ programming be impacted?

Answer: Yes, programming for all ages will be reduced. We do hope to work with our community partners to continue popular programs whenever possible.

Question: Will all current library services remain available?

Answer: No. Many services and programs will be reduced or cut entirely this year. We will monitor the community reaction and work to present a budget and tax levy that the community will support.

Question: Will access to library materials be affected?

Answer: Yes. When items are damaged or missing, we cannot replace them quickly. This will also mean longer waits for new books.

Question: Will access to digital resources (eBooks, audiobooks, databases) change?

Answer: Yes. We will not renew our partnership with Niche Academy, which offers online training videos through our website. Fortunately, the Southern Tier Library System will continue to make eBooks and audiobooks available through Libby and Kanopy. However, wait times may be longer because we expect more of our patrons to turn to these platforms to find the books they are looking for.

Question: Will interlibrary loan services continue?

Answer: Yes, interlibrary loans will continue. It is a critical part of our library and libraries like ours. However, the mailing fee to send and receive these materials may increase to offset the cost to the library.

Question: How will the restructuring effect community partnerships?

Answer: In this time of need, we will be leaning more heavily on community partnerships to offer programs and services to meet community needs while limiting the burden on library staff and the library’s budget.

Question: How were restructuring decisions made?

Answer: These decisions were made by the library board of trustees after careful review and analysis.

Question: What factors were considered when determining reductions or changes?

Answer: The library’s director, board of trustees, and legal counsel considered the library’s mission, vision, strategic priorities, and workplace philosophy, as well as the community’s needs and the real and present threat of closure if the library’s income and expenses are not immediately balanced. Many tough choices came down to the best answer in a bad situation.

Question: Will the restructuring save enough money to balance the budget?

Answer: Not quite, but it gives us more time to get the necessary funding and gets us far closer than we previously were. In an ideal world, we would love to see all the best parts of our library return with the next funding referendum passing. However, our ability to bring back the previous level of materials and services will depend heavily on whether we can get the funding needed to finish balancing the budget. A proposal is in the works for 2028 which would stabilize funding and bring back many of the extras our community has grown to love. If you would like to weigh in on YOUR priorities for our next funding request, please fill out this anonymous survey.

link: https://forms.gle/D9CthsdfDVKwYJRZ7.

Question: What happens if future funding is restored?

Answer: With the last budget failing by a very large margin and receiving considerable community pushback, restoring funding to a level which fully restores our library to the previous state will not be possible. However, some of these changes will allow us to reach our community in new ways. We are looking forward to improving and enhancing services as funding increases.

Question: How can community members stay informed about changes?

Answer: Currently our most popular mode of communication is Facebook, with many of our patrons enjoying our content there and appreciating regular updates. You can also check out our website, dormannlibrary.org, stop in during library hours, or call us with questions. We would be happy to keep you updated however you prefer. If you don’t see your preferred mode for updates here, you can also fill out the survey above and recommend another option that works better for your needs.

Question: How can residents support the library during this transition?

Answer: To start, we ask for patience and grace during this transition. Staff members will be adjusting to new hours and slightly different or expanded roles and responsibilities. This will likely result in longer lines and more waiting than you may be used to. In addition to your patience and understanding, your participation in efforts to assess needs and your support when we present the community with a chance to approve the right amount of funding will be very helpful!

Question: Will there be opportunities for public feedback?

Answer: Yes, you can fill out the community survey provided (link:  https://forms.gle/D9CthsdfDVKwYJRZ7) to offer feedback on what is working and what isn’t and to voice your priorities as we construct our next budget proposal.

Question: How will the library measure the success of the restructuring?

Answer: We will measure the success of this restructuring by evaluating its efficiency in reaching established library goals, including the two main priorities: financial stability and compliance with State of New York operating requirements.

Question: What is the timeline for implementing the changes?

Answer: These changes will be in full effect on August 26th, when the library reopens after the annual Fair Week closure. At that time, the library will begin the new normal: new hours, new rates for services, and new programming structures.

Question: Will library policies or borrowing rules change?

Answer: Over the last year, the library’s policies have been under extensive review to get them up to date and fully compliant. This process can be expected to continue.

Question: What message would the library like to share with community members who are saddened by the staff changes?

Answer: We would like the community to know that these were difficult decisions to make. When you take on the role of a library trustee, you are responsible for the stewardship of the organization first and for the staff you come to appreciate and care for next. We, too, are saddened by the loss of wonderful members of our staff, but we cannot justify saving their jobs in the short term while sacrificing the library as a critical institution of our community in the long term.

Question: How can I or others get involved to help the library stabilize funding and services?

Answer: If you are interested in helping, please get in touch with our Library Director. There are many opportunities to help the library and we welcome your assistance.

Question: Are there any books you can recommend to help patrons and staff through this and similar difficult times?

Yes, that’s what we do. Here is a list recommended by Anna Lee Dragon, the Executive Director of the New York Library Association:

When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron

Tribe by Sebastian Junger

Daring Greatly by Brené Brown

Places for the People by Eric Klinenberg

Radical Hope by Carolina De Robertis

Wintering by Katherine May

Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed

If you ever have questions or concerns regarding our library, you can reach out to the director at longj@stls.org or to the library’s board of trustees at dormannlibraryboard@gmail.com.