Hello Worthington! Here's your recap of what happened at May 19, 2026's Worthington Libraries Board of Trustees meeting. Below are brief summaries of the most significant discussions about your library system. For those interested in the full details, we've included links to longer articles where appropriate.
Library Hits the Federal Accessibility Deadline; a New Way to Request Document Remediation
Worthington Libraries finished its work to bring its website into compliance with the federal ADA Title II accessibility standard by the original April 2026 deadline, even after the federal government extended that deadline another year. Two pieces are now live for residents: a new patron contact channel for requesting accessible versions of specific library documents, and automatic captions on the library board's broadcast meetings. The Worthington Memory local-history archive is the largest piece of remediation still ahead, and staff will work through it as residents flag what they need.
Free Snack Bags at Every Branch Through a Resource Pantry Partnership
Worthington Libraries has begun stocking free, no-questions-asked snack bags at every branch through a new partnership with the Worthington Resource Pantry. The Pantry received a grant earlier this year and approached the library about extending its reach into longer hours and more locations than its single site can offer. Bags hold shelf-stable items like granola bars, protein bars, applesauce, and peanut butter crackers, are restocked weekly, and require no registration. The program launched the week of April 6 and continues as long as the grant lasts; trustees discussed whether donor gifts or Friends Foundation support could extend it. Each side brings what the other lacks. The library has longer hours, three locations, and steady walk-in traffic; the Pantry has food-bank purchasing networks that turn each grant dollar into more food than the library could buy on its own.
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Summer Reading Club Opens May 22
The 2026 Summer Reading Club, "Reading is Dino-Mite," runs May 22 through August 2 across all three branches. Reading records went home in every K–5 student's end-of-year school packet this year, but anyone of any age can pick one up at a branch and start. Full details on the activity sheet, the prize tiers, the "Roar On" Columbus Zoo animal sponsorship vote, and the kickoff schedule at each branch are on the library's Summer Reading Club page.
Finance Update from CFO Jeremie Stevens
Worthington Libraries' state property-tax true-up payment, normally paid in April, has been pushed to June, leaving a stretch with no property-tax revenue during a month that also carries three pay periods (library staff are paid biweekly). Chief Financial Officer Jeremie Stevens told trustees she will watch cash through the end of May before deciding whether to pull from investments, and that another dry stretch is expected in July and August. April investment income came in at $84,000, and the library closed the month with a cash balance at 19% of operating, above the 16.6% floor. The pattern is cyclical and is not driven by service-level changes.
Beyond the monthly statements, Stevens noted that the library received the Popular Annual Financial Reporting (PAFR) award for its 2024 financial reporting. She also shared that she and Director Lauren Robinson recently hosted the Leadership Worthington cohort at the library, where she presented on library funding and long-range plans. Stevens described the Q&A as substantive and a chance to "plant those seeds in the community" and "dispel some myths" about how the library is funded.
In Other Library News
The Board Governance Committee meets Thursday, May 28 at 8 a.m. to begin the search for an open trustee seat. Library trustees are appointed by the Worthington Board of Education; under a state-budget change that took effect for new appointments after September 30, 2025, trustees serve four-year terms.
The Friends Foundation of Worthington Libraries is piloting Operation Book Support, a consignment-style program with no capital outlay: the vendor supplies scanners and shipping boxes, the Friends keep 40% of the revenue, and donated books that won't fit the annual book sale go out through the new channel between sales.
Upcoming at Your Library
- May 22 through August 2 — Summer Reading Club, "Reading is Dino-Mite". Pick up a reading record at any branch, or use the one that came home in your child's school packet.
- Thursday, May 28 — Summer Reading Club kickoff party at Northwest Library. Hidden dinosaur bones reassembled into a finished display that stays up through the summer. Each branch is planning its own kickoff; check the library calendar for dates at Old Worthington and Worthington Park.
- Through the summer — Mardi Gras Ice Cream "Blue-aesaurus" flavor, a blue moo ice cream with chocolate fossils and candy, available at Mardi Gras on Hard Road and served at Northwest Library's movie nights.
- Through the summer — Free snack bags available at every branch during normal hours, no registration required.
- All summer — Summer Movie Series at Northwest Library, plus a programming lineup that includes an enormous Dino Egg Hunt, a Dino Buddies Encounter, Performance Dogs of Ohio, K-Pop Dance Columbus instructor classes, magical storytelling with Yasu Ishida, and Craft with Pride sessions at two branches. Calendar at worthingtonlibraries.org.
- Tuesday, June 16, 6 p.m. — Next Board of Trustees meeting at Old Worthington Library.
- Saturday, June 20, 10:30 a.m. — Pride March. Worthington Libraries brings the pop-up library to the route.
- Through July 4 — America 250 / Declaration of Independence display at Old Worthington Library.
Thanks for reading this summary of the Worthington Libraries Board of Trustees meeting. You can find board meeting schedules, agendas, and minutes on the Worthington Libraries Board page or watch the meeting recording here.