Library director reports summer programming, mural and modest budget request as digital borrowing climbs

Jason, the library director, gave the board a run-through of upcoming programs, facility updates and budget priorities, and board members pressed staff about rising digital use.

Jason announced One Book One Buncombe's selection, Happy Land by Dolan Perkins Valdez, and said the author will speak and sign books in Asheville on May 16 at Ferguson Auditorium at ABTE; free copies and digital formats will be available at library branches and via Libby. He also said the planned Pack Library exterior mural was delayed from April and is now expected in May, with public engagement to follow.

On operations, Jason said the library will close all locations for a staff development day on Thursday, May 7 at the North Carolina Arboretum. He told the board he presented the library's budget request to the county manager and asked for modest increases mainly for physical materials, digital subscriptions, professional development and furniture replacement; the final county budget decision remains months away.

Board members then questioned circulation trends. Tammy Silver reported that about half of adult circulation in the past year was digital, while children's digital circulation was only about 12 to 13 percent. She added that nearly all audiobook checkouts are digital (around 92 percent) because most patrons use downloads rather than CDs.

Jason said the library participates in the North Carolina Digital Library consortium and also purchases additional copies for Buncombe County patrons when necessary. He described the budget ask as modest and said he was optimistic after presenting to county management; staff will advise the board if public advocacy could help the request.

The board did not take a formal vote on the budget request; Jason said staff will continue to monitor usage and report back as the county budget process proceeds.