The Sheboygan Common Council in November approved the 2012 budget, including funding for Mead Public Library. The library's budget was decreased by $99,435, the amount that library staff members now contribute toward funding the Wisconsin Retirement System. While larger cuts were discussed by Common Council members, only the $99,435 decrease was approved. The total 2012 funding from the city to the library is $2,377,053.

"We appreciate the way members of the public expressed their support for retaining the level of library service offered in Sheboygan. It appears that the petition drive and direct contacts with aldermen helped the Council more fully understand the importance of library services to Sheboygan residents," said Library Director Sharon Winkle.

What is Mead Library worth to you? You can find out using this Library Value Calculator. You'll see what it could cost to purchase the services provided by your library. Let us know what you think!

Library Director's Budget Analysis

Tax Support per Capita Comparison (PDF file)

Wisconsin public libraries contribute to the economy of Wisconsin. Read more about an economic impact research report.

The Wisconsin Counties Association magazine published an article in July 2009, "Libraries Critical in Times of Crisis." (PDF file)

"Libraries: At the Heart of Our Communities" was published in the Summer 2009 issue of the Planning Commissioners Journal.  It discusses the importance of public library services and buildings to the economic, commercial, and cultural vitality of large, medium, and small communities across the US.

When jobs go away, Americans turn to their libraries to find information about future employment or educational opportunities. This library usage trend and others are detailed in the 2010 State of America’s Libraries report, released in April by the American Library Association. The report shows that Americans have turned to their libraries in larger numbers in recent years, a trend that was the topic for ALA executive director Keith Fiels, who addressed the Wisconsin Association of Public Libraries conference in Sheboygan on April 29.

"Public Libraries Daring to be Different" is an article from the International City/County Management Association highlighting demonstration grants were funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to explore how local governments can use their public libraries in more innovative ways. Last year, 169 million people in the United States visited a public library to find work, apply for college, secure government benefits, learn about critical medical treatments, and connect with their communities. Yet across the country, library operating budgets are being cut because they are rarely associated with public safety or health. New research is finding that libraries are making significant contributions beyond their traditional roles. Local governments, forced to do more with less, have discovered that public libraries are an untapped resource and can assist in both the economic recovery and other strategic initiatives. Here are the stories of nine jurisdictions that engaged their libraries in creative solutions to community challenges involving public safety, emergency management, the environment, economic development, early childhood literacy, teen services, and cultural engagement.