Jackson’s libraries could take a major financial hit this year, thanks to the coronavirus.
However, now is not the time to ask other cities to help make up for the loss, according to Executive Director Patty Furr.
Officials with the Jackson-Hinds Library System (JHLS) are potentially bracing for what could be major budget cuts, as a result of lower tax collections in Jackson and Hinds County.
At the same time, JHLS is having to deal with new expenses related to reopening following the COVID-19 outbreak.
Among them, the system has had to spend thousands of dollars to purchase masks, hand sanitizer and gloves to protect patrons and staffers.
The system also has had to hire additional security guards to ensure patrons follow federal, state and city health guidelines when using the library.
The library began reopening branches last week. To use the system, patrons must wear masks and use hand sanitizer before entering. Visitors are also tested for fever and questioned before entering, to determine whether they have symptoms or have been exposed to the virus.
“There has to be someone to do a temperature check, provide sanitizer and a mask, and ask questions about their health,” Furr said. “The guard is needed to ensure people follow those guidelines.”
While revenues could fall, Furr is expecting library usage to increase in the coming months, because people have less money to purchase books or pay for newspaper and magazine subscriptions.
Furr also believes more individuals will be using computers to go to school, because so many classes are now being offered online, rather than in person.
“It’s ironic because libraries will be more heavily used than normal,” she said. “Our use is going to be going up and, although it’s too early to tell, our revenues may be going down.”
The system has a $4.4 million annual budget, which is funded by ad valorem taxes collected in Hinds County and the city of Jackson. Jackson-Hinds also receives an annual allocation from the Mississippi Library Commission and the state legislature to help pay salaries and provide life insurance benefits.
The system has 86 full and part-time staff members.
It includes 14 branches, seven in Jackson and one each in Clinton, Byram, Terry, Raymond, Utica, Edwards and Bolton.
All municipalities, including Jackson, are responsible for maintaining their facilities. However, cities outside of Jackson do not make an annual contribution to the system.
Byram recently paid for the trailer that will house its new branch. Clinton, meanwhile, is continuing to pay off the bonds issued to build the Quisenberry facility.
Furr said even if she wanted to ask other cities for additional support, she would be prohibited from doing so due to the library’s agreement with the county.
“We have an agreement with the county board of supervisors, and in that, we said we would not approach municipalities for funding,” she said.
She said it would be a bad time to ask the board to revise those rules and said that doing so would be up to the Jackson-Hinds board of trustees.
“These cities are going to lose a huge amount of revenue,” she said. “It would not be a good time to ask.”
Jackson provides the system with an annual allocation based on property tax collections.
Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said it was too early to tell how the library’s allocation would be affected.
“I can imagine it would be adversely affected,” he said. “There will be some level of affectedness across the city because of less revenue.”
It was too early to tell how property tax revenues would be impacted by COVID. However, sales tax numbers have already plummeted. Through March 30, the city received $22,633,303 in sales tax diversions from the state, down about $775,000 from the same period last year.
Furr said there are few options for reducing library costs if its budgets for this year or next year are cut.
“We’ve already cut our book budget radically and there’s not much fat left anywhere. We can cut hours, but then you hurt people in the neighborhood who need to get in for homework help and computer use,” she said. “We would like to stay open because people need the library more than ever.”
Furr points to the fact that the system in recent years has already reduced its staff from 127 to 86 employees.
The director also pointed to new expenses the system is having to take on in response to COVID, and to protect books and computers at two branches that are being temporarily closed.
To meet state reopening guidelines, Jackson-Hinds is having to provide masks and hand sanitizer to employees and patrons.
The system also had to install acrylic sneeze guards at book checkout points, purchase gloves, thermometers, and fogging machines. The fogging machines will be used to sanitize buildings each afternoon after they close. Combined, those expenses have run around $13,000.
Jackson-Hinds is also having to spend additional money at the Bolden Moore and Richard Wright libraries, both in Jackson.
The air conditioning systems are no longer functioning and the branches, and fans and dehumidifiers have been put in to protect the books and computers.
Without those devices, the air would become stagnant, and would provide the perfect environment for the books to grow mold, she explained.
Until the air conditioner units are fixed, those branches will remain closed.
