Mid-Continent Public Library (MCPL) is governed by a twelve member Board of Trustees. By Missouri Statute, each county in the library district may appoint four representatives to the Board. The Clay County Commission, Platte County Commission, and the Jackson County Executive make these appointments annually.
MCPL plays a vital role in the Independence community and the region as a whole. On a typical day in Fiscal year 2020-21, customer transactions included: 3,010 branch visits, 10,405 digital items checked out, 419 library-provided computer sessions, 12,702 website visits, 10,220 physical items checked out, 17,407 social media impressions, 85 virtual program attendees, and 338 wi-fi sessions in the library. Of the 831,998 individuals residing in the library district, 555,522 (67%) are library card holders.
In 2016 voters overwhelmingly (62.3%) approved a levy increase to provide expanded access, new and renovated buildings, expanded collections, and increased services. Since then, the Library has added hours, most notably Sunday hours, added more e-content, renovated buildings, built replacement buildings, and has added an additional branch. One more branch, East Independence, and two other replacement buildings (Grain Valley and Riverside) are still to come. New services include notary services, new passport services, expanding Wi-Fi into the parking lots, checking out hotspots, laptops and wellness kits, along with virtual programming.
Despite this vital community service, a contingency of the Mid-Continent Public Library Board of Trustees is proposing lowering the Library levy by 2.28 cents for a total of 32.40 cents (current rate is 34.68 cents) which equates to approximately a $4.3 million reduction in revenue effective this fiscal year. Per state statutes, the lower levy, if approved, will be the maximum the Library could collect next year provided the amount is decreased again through state rollbacks or further Board decisions.
With the higher than anticipated increase in assessed values of used cars and real estate, the Library expects to see an increase in revenue. A reduction of the levy rate would eliminate that excess and require the Library to cut planned expenditures. At this time, what would be cut is unknown. What is known is cuts would need to be made immediately for this year with more cuts anticipated next year.