Hello Worthington! Here's your recap of what happened at September 15'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.
The library's facilities plan is underway and wants your input
Worthington Libraries has signed a contract with a design firm to begin its comprehensive facilities plan, a multi-phase project to renovate all three branches. The library holds its kickoff with the firm this week and will spend this fall gathering community input: invited stakeholder meetings in late October, plus public opportunities including a booth at the farmers market, a presence at Halloween on the green, and conversations with patrons inside the branches.
A new coordinator to oversee library programming
Trustees approved a new Programming Coordinator position to oversee events across all three branches. Together the branches offered 1,339 programs to more than 39,000 attendees last year, and right now each branch plans its own programming with no single person tracking the whole system. Director Lauren Robinson said the role would take some of that load off the director of public services, the branch managers, and the branch leads, and give consistent support to staff running events.
The coordinator is also meant to bring more structure to recurring efforts such as summer reading, which currently rotates to a different staff member each year on top of that person's regular duties. Chief Financial Officer Jeremie Stevens said the position would ease administrative work too, because contracts with outside performers and presenters would run through one person who knows the required paperwork. Robinson framed the change as preparation for the years ahead, including a possible future levy, so the library's programming stays strong as it moves toward more coordinated, system-wide events. The new position takes effect September 27.
Stay connected to what's happening in Worthington, Ohio.
Board seeks new trustees, rethinks its leadership path
The board is accepting applications for two open trustee seats through September 30, and had received only one application as of the meeting; one of the openings follows the resignation of trustee Dr. Joseph Saverimuttu. Residents can apply through the library's dedicated page.
Trustees also worked through draft guidelines for developing future officers now that Ohio reduced library trustee terms from seven years to four. Ideas included having a future president serve into a third year, chair a committee by their second year, and stay on as vice president in a fourth year so institutional knowledge is not lost when a president steps down, along with keeping trustees on the same committee to build expertise. No action was taken; trustees described it as a good start to a long conversation and agreed the guidelines should stay flexible.
In Other Library News
- The library will not refill its Social Media Coordinator position. Robinson said social media drew engagement but was not bringing new visitors into the library, so those duties return to Lisa Fuller, the director of community engagement, who handled them before the library created a dedicated role.
- The library is building a full-year 2027 budget despite state funding uncertainty. August was a strong revenue month, with about $2.19 million in property taxes distributed by the county, and the library's 2025 audit is now complete and posted. A change in how the state funds libraries, shifting the Public Library Fund from a percentage of state revenue to a fixed dollar amount that runs only through June 2027, left the second half of next year unfunded on paper. Chief Financial Officer Jeremie Stevens said the Franklin County auditor agreed the library could estimate that second half, so it will proceed with a conservative, full-year 2027 budget. The board's annual property-tax rate resolution, usually adopted in September, will come in October after the state extended the filing deadline.
Programming Recap
- Summer reading sign-ups rose 34% over 2025. The jump is partly explained by the library signing up all Worthington K-5 students this year, an approach staff do not expect to repeat.
- August program highlights: a Paw Patrol Party at Old Worthington drew 152 attendees, a Spider-Man Party at Old Worthington drew more than 100, a Jurassic Park Escape Room at Northwest drew 70, and passport walk-in hours at Worthington Park served 20 patrons.
- Usage is up across the board. Compared with August 2025, browse circulation rose 9% and digital circulation rose 14%, while meeting-room reservations were up 23% over July and 12% year over year.
- Author event at the MAC: the library partnered with the McConnell Arts Center to host an interview with author Chloe Benjamin, after a local bookstore brought the opportunity to the library.
Upcoming at Your Library
- Friday, September 25 — Storybook Ball at the Old Worthington Library. A family event with a pond theme; check the library calendar for details and registration.
- Wednesday, September 30 — Deadline to apply for an open seat on the Board of Trustees. Applications are open to Worthington residents; details are on the library's dedicated page.
- Late October — Share your ideas for the future of your libraries. Staff and the project architects plan to gather resident input at the Worthington Farmers Market and at Halloween on the green, and from patrons in the branches, as part of the facilities plan.
- Friday, November 13 — Books and Brews at the Old Worthington Library. The Friends Foundation of Worthington Libraries' annual fundraiser; tickets are on sale now, with a discount for Friends members.
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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.