Library requests $500K+ for 2025 budget; Named fifth busiest in state

The Lafayette County & Oxford Public Library is the fifth busiest individual library branch in Mississippi, according to the Mississippi Library Commission.

“When we get that report again, I would not be surprised if we are pushed up to third busiest,” said Lori Barnes, director of the First Regional Library, which is the umbrella system for the Oxford & Lafayette County Library.

Barnes presented the annual report on the local library and submitted its budget request to the Lafayette County Board of Supervisors on Monday.

She presented statistics on the number of times the library was used and the programs it offers to the community.

According to Barnes, the library had 78,974 visitors since Oct. 1, 2023, and there were 140, 510 items checked out.

The library offered 258 programs, of which 5,964 people attended.

Meridith Wulff, head librarian at the Oxford branch, said the library offers a variety of services to people of all ages in the county and is more than just a place to check out books.

Comparing January to June this year to the same period in 2023, the library has seen a 7% increase in patrons visiting the library; an 8% increase in items being checked out; a 14% increase in the number of patrons attending programs offered at the library and a 60% increase in of outreach to the community, according to Wulff.

“The library’s growing impact is felt by everyone in our community,” Wulff said.

The library is requesting $565,835 this fiscal year, up 5% from last year’s request. The increase is due to inflation, the library wishing to increase salaries for its staff and the purchase of a new Words on Wheels Book Wagon, the early literacy vehicle that travels around the county to provide books and literacy services to children.

“We’re looking to purchase a new one and that will be a huge expense for us,” Barnes said.

The supervisors are finalizing the annual budget that will be presented to the public at an upcoming meeting in August. They must approve the budget by Sept. 15.

They took no action Monday on the library’s budget request but will consider it with other budget requests during the budget process.

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