Stillwater Library Board Approves Position Changes to Improve Staff Retention

The Stillwater Public Library Board unanimously approves a request to transition three part-time shelver positions to library aide roles, a move aimed at improving staff retention and operational flexibility.

Library Director Stacy DeLano explains the change addresses significant turnover issues that have plagued the library's lowest-paid positions since the pandemic.

"Since Summer 2023, the shelving positions have turned over eight times and aide positions have turned over three times," DeLano said. "Lack of a full roster is not an occasional occurrence. It has become a standard operating environment."

The transition will cost approximately $9,875 annually but will be funded by discontinuing the library's OCLC cataloging service subscription, which costs about $19,000 per year and has been increasing by 3-5% annually.

"This is the sort of decision right here where I want you to be challenging me and asking me on it," DeLano tells the board. "Because it has to be a good plan. This is an important one."

Board Chair Matt Upson expresses concern about maintaining cataloging quality without OCLC, but DeLano assures the board that the library's technical services staff is prepared for the transition.

"We have wonderful reference librarians who really can help with research," DeLano said. "We feel confident that we can do the improvement of the records as needed and that we were over-cataloged before for what was needed."

Library usage continues to increase, with DeLano noting that patron numbers have surpassed pre-pandemic levels.

"Since summer 2023, patron usage has continued to increase and has surpassed the checkout rate of pre-pandemic levels," DeLano says. "Which increases demand at the circulation desk and substantially increases the amount of shelving needed."

The board also approves the library's FY25-26 personnel budget of $1,004,286.30 and general operating budget of $205,640, which reflects the reallocation of funds from software maintenance to other areas including an increased book budget.

Grant to help fund fire department archival project

In addition, the board accepts three grants totaling $34,034.21. The largest is a $13,733.09 digitization grant from the Oklahoma Historical Society that will fund a new digitization area in the library's Special Collections.

"We'll be working on the Stillwater Fire Department archival materials that we received," DeLano said. "We're really excited about getting those up online for people. It's got a lot of photographs which has been largely absent from our collection."

The library also receives $18,517 in state aid from the Oklahoma Department of Libraries and a $1,784.12 grant to send two staff members to the Oklahoma Library Association Annual Conference in March.

Board member Martha McMillian asks about potential risks to state funding in the future.

"The bigger concern that we need to be aware of is when the Institute for Museum and Library Services is assessed, what will happen then?" DeLano responds. "We have been talking about and discussing what we do to be able to provide, to move funds or pull them to be able to deal with that scenario."

The board approves DeLano's request to apply for E-rate discount for internet services, which could save the library significant funds. DeLano notes that the discount rate has increased from 60% to 80% due to an increase in Stillwater students qualifying for free or reduced lunches.

"That's not good for Stillwater," DeLano said. "It is in a weird way good for the library because that means I have more of a guaranteed 80% of our Internet services paid for."

Library plans for continued service during fire suppression replacement project

The board also approves DeLano's request to close the library for up to two weeks during an upcoming fire suppression replacement project. During the closure, expected in mid-April, the library will offer curbside pickup, phone reference services, and Wi-Fi access.

"We will be providing Wi-Fi to people who want to use Wi-Fi," DeLano says. "It is possible that we set up with some close by partners to have our array of laptops so that people can go in and make a reservation to use it."

DeLano reports that the library's recent "Library Lovers Readathon" fundraiser was a success, raising $1,532 in donations.

"Probably 75-80% of the donors that we saw who made their donations through PayPal, we had never seen their names before," DeLano said. "It was just a really good event."

The board discusses plans for a staff appreciation event, with board members volunteering to bring food for library staff.

"A little birdie told me that occasionally they are so busy that sometimes they really don't stop to eat lunch," board member Robin Cornwell said. "Finger foods would be awesomely handy to be able to grab on a break or something."