VOORHEESVILLE — On May 16, school district voters will decided on a $1,171,500 Voorheesville Public Library budget for next year. The spending plan, after two years of no increase, is up slightly but still under the state’s tax levy limit.

The budget reflects the library’s mission of more community outreach and of providing more programs for both kids and grown-ups.

If the budget passes, district residents will pay a penny more per $1,000 of assessed property value. New Scotland residents will pay $1.30; Guilderland residents, $1.47; and Berne residents, $2.02 per $1,000. A public library follows school district lines, although it has its own elected board and sets its own budget. The lion’s share of the district is in New Scotland, a town with a population of roughly 8,600. The tax rates vary because a state-set equalization rate is applied to even out levies among towns that assess differently.

The bulk of budget revenues — $1,129,300 — comes from local property taxes. Other revenue sources include: desk receipts at $15,000, donations and grants at $6,000, state aid at $5,000, interest income at $1,200, and $15,000 from the library’s fund balance.

Janna Shillinglaw, the library board’s president, is up for re-election; she is unchallenged.

Although the number of library visitors this year, at close to 60,000, has remained steady and the circulation of print materials is down slightly, the program attendance is up 20 to 25 percent, according to Gail Alter Sacco, the library’s director. In total, 10,495 people attended library events, including 2,628 children and teens in the summer reading program.

“We’ve increased programs for adults,” said Sacco, naming a “foodies” program where activities ranged from tasting teas to exchanging holiday cookies. Computer classes are now offered for adults as well as a midday book-discussion group.

This year’s diversity initiative included a series of talks on race issues and an Irish concert examining the history of Irish music. On June 7, a man who plays the kora will instruct patrons on the African string instrument.

Sacco described the library as more than a place where people come to borrow books. “We see ourselves as a center for creativity, learning, and growth,” said Sacco. Librarians, she said, now serve as curators of information.

Voorheesville, for example, will be getting a certified medical librarian to help patrons as they research health issues.

“We’re trying with our Twitter feed and social media to highlight areas people might want to learn about,” said Sacco. For example, she said, for Black History Month and Women’s History Month, the Voorheesville library “pulled from our own and other New York State archives.” The library is helping people “find information that’s not just commercial, just marketing,” she said.

Also, Sacco said, the Voorheesville library is “reaching out into the community more,” visiting the senior center and participating in the Voorheesville Family Bicycling Day. The library also has a bicycle “fixit” station with tools for repairing bikes or pumping tires with air. “We’re such a biking community,” said Sacco.

At the same time, the Voorheesville library is enlarging the electronic services it offers patrons in their homes. For instance, through lynda.com, patrons can participate in seminars to learn about skills from doing photoshop to marketing.

A site Sacco is “totally crazy about” is Natural Medicines, produced by Massachusetts General Hospital on homeopathic remedies “validated by science,” she said.

“We have DMV practice tests for the kids,” she said of the Department of Motor Vehicles, and people can come to the library to research their roots, for free, through Ancestry.com.

“We’re not just a book collection, but more of a place you can go and do things,” said Sacco, citing the library’s 3D printer. “Kids are playing here,” she said. “We incubated and hatched eggs with a live cam  this year...And we have a program with teens before the prom.”

The budget reflects the shift as the spending for books at $74,000, for movies and music at $19,000, and for periodicals at $7,000 is steady while software costs have increased from $3,100 to $4,000 for the addition of remote printing.

The costs for building operations and maintenance remain almost flat with the exception of a decrease of $7,000, to $17,000, for fuel and electricity and an increase of $3,000, to $24,000, for building repairs and maintenance.

“Space is a big challenge,” said Sacco. Five years ago, a plan to build a new, larger library was soundly defeated at the polls.

A committee is being put together to assess building needs, she said. “I don’t think they have a plan to put anything up, they’ll start with a building assessment and see where they go,” said Sacco.

For a long while, she said, books have had to be discarded in order for new ones to be added to the limited shelving. But, electronics have made it possible for the library to offer more information in confined space.

“Our holdings have almost doubled with digital materials,” said Sacco. Were trying to support everyone, including those who love print.”

Most patrons seeking information now start with an electronic search, she said. With the Gale Virtual Reference Library, patrons can read information as a PDF or as a document or can listen to it. “It lets people do what they’re most comfortable with,” said Sacco.

The Voorheesville library also offers eReaders with 100 books.

“We evaluate what people are doing and move with that,” Sacco said.

The library is open six days a week in July and August, and seven days a week the rest of the year; it is open from 9:30 a.m. until 9 p.m., staffed by about 17 people. Full- and part-time workers together equal about 12 full-time staff.

As with all library budgets, the bulk of the expenses are for salaries ($655,000 up from $646,000) and employee benefits ($195,100, down from $201,400 due to a decrease in state retirement contributions).

The budget allows for a 1.5-percent raise in staff salaries, which is “the same as the federal government is giving to people in this region,” said Sacco.

“When we’ve had vacancies, we’ve reconfigured job responsibilities so we’re more efficient with staff,” she said.

One of the things fueling the slight spending increase, Sacco said, is the reconfigured Summer Reading Club, which will be three weeks of half-day programs. There will also be special summer events like Big Truck Day at the firehouse, Carnival Day, and a Star Lab with the Dudley Observatory.

Also, four hours a week of clerical support has been added.

Sacco commended the five-member library board, whose members serve with no pay. “They are very fiscally responsible and work hard to make sure goals are met serving the public while making sure we’re cost effective,” she said.

She also praised the Friends of the Library, a volunteer group that has, among other projects, opened a shed in the library parking lot to recycle used books. “The Friends funded 90 percent of the summer reading program,” said Sacco. “Our community has been incredibly supportive in terms of time and money.”

Shillinglaw unchallenged

Janna Shillinglaw, who is running unopposed, told The Enterprise earlier, “The trustees have worked together to present voters with a lower budget the last two years while supporting much needed improvements at the library such as a roof, increased lighting and security, and sidewalk replacement.”

Shillinglaw works for the state’s Department of Civil Service and is also a real estate broker/owner. She has leadership roles in the Kiwanis and the Voorheesville Community and School Foundation, and is on the board at Albany County Rural House Alliance.

“One of the accomplishments of the library that I am most proud of is the increase in STEM [science, technology, engineering, math] programming and digital resources for all ages at the library, including the addition of a laptop computer lab and 3D printer,” Shillinglaw wrote in an email, responding to Enterprise questions. “Additionally, I am proud of our Summer Reading program...I also love our teen volunteer program!”

Asked about her goals for her next term, Shillinglaw said, “I am excited for VPL’s dynamic staff to continue to provide diversified, innovative and quality programs and services both inside and outside the library walls. We will continue to look for ways to improve our patrons’ experiences at the library and strengthen our community outreach by participating in events like the Voorheesville Family Bicycling Day.

“Additionally, the board will explore options on how to meet the high demand for our little space by creating a building committee. Lastly, we will be replacing the parking lot, a much needed improvement, and the cost will be supplemented in part by a grant.”