Athens Regional Library requests funds for Eastside branch, technology and staffing

Beth McIntyre, director of the Athens Regional Library System, and Rebecca Ballard, the system’s children’s services department head, presented the library’s FY27 request and a strategic plan covering through FY28.

McIntyre said the library system seeks funds to support programming, technology access and the planned Eastside branch. Ballard highlighted 800 children’s programs with roughly 30,000 attendees last year and the library’s Play Card initiative, which provides every Clark County student a children’s library card at no cost. McIntyre said the FY27 request includes funds to replace 30–40 older public computers and to cover several months of salary for a library manager who would help ready the Eastside branch for opening in late summer or early fall of the next fiscal year.

Staff and library leaders gave a preliminary staffing estimate for the Eastside branch of about three full‑time positions and nine part‑time positions, and a rough operating estimate of about $600,000 for initial operations; staff said personnel and other operating‑cost details are included in the budget Q&A packet and supplemental materials.

Why it matters: The Eastside branch expands library access, bolsters early literacy programming and requires local operating funding. Commissioners asked for the operating and personnel breakdowns and for materials to be added to the shared budget folder for review.