Germantown Community Library reports rising visits and digital circulation in 2025

Tricia Smith, director of the Germantown Community Library, presented the library’s 2025 annual report to the Village Board and highlighted steady growth in visits, programming and digital use. Smith said the library’s service population is "almost at 35,000 people," which includes Germantown and portions of neighboring municipalities that rely on the library.

Smith reported roughly 356,000 total checkouts last year (physical and digital), nearly 13,000 card holders and about 112,000 visits — an average of roughly 376 visits per day when open. Programming attendance rebounded after 2024 budget cuts, with 27,000 attendees across 741 programs. The library also logged 1,600 community and study-room bookings and 1,200 volunteer hours.

On finances, Smith said operating revenue is roughly 60–65% from the Village of Germantown and emphasized Washington County reimbursement as significant: "We received $335,000 last year from Washington County," she said, noting the library is closely watching cost-per-circulation formulas because the state currently counts only physical circulation for reimbursement.

Smith described investments completed with donations and board funds, including a patio project funded by $55,000 in community donations, and outlined upcoming initiatives such as quiet study pods, remote printing and expanded digital resources. She said the library is exploring reservable quiet rooms and options to reduce notification bounce-backs for patrons.

Board members asked about timelines for quiet pods and space constraints; Smith said pods are in the research stage with a tentative mid-year (June–July) target and reiterated that the building is near capacity and that a second floor would be a major capital project.

The board thanked Smith for the presentation and for the library’s work on programming and community services.