A budget crunch in Hall County turns into a loss for the Grand Island Public Library. The bookmobile will shut down, and non-Grand Island residents may soon be charged for checking
out books and using computers. 

Library director Steve Fosselman said the library board had no chance to negotiate; this is a decision strictly by the Hall County Board of Supervisors. They ended their agreement with the library about 20 months early, leaving Fosselman scrambling to make up more than $100,000. 

Just a few miles from Grand Island city limits, Amy Wilson hands out a new arrival from the "bookmobile box." The childcare director in Doniphan has depended on the twice monthly
selection for ten years.

"It's nice to get books because they do have something new and fresh to look at and it keeps
their interest a lot longer," Wilson said, in charge of 46 kids at Little Miracles Childcare in Doniphan. 

Children's books make up three-fourths of the bookmobile's 90 deliveries. But Hall County will no longer foot that bill, nor will they pay for the other part of the "comprehensive library service" agreement, allowing county residents to use the library for free. 

"Not one service or the other, but all the benefits of being a card holder," Fosselman said.

That leaves the library $107,000 short. To make up loses, the library board is considering charging all non-Grand Island residents around $45 a year--about what current city taxpayers pay--a recommendation from the Nebraska Library Commission.

"They specify that a non-resident should be paying at least equal to what the taxed
jurisdiction is paying," Fosselman said.

Twenty-seven hundred non-residents used the library in the last three years. 

"If all 2,700 people get a library card, that would be $120,000."

But he doesn't expect all will pay to make up the loss. And with the bookmobile soon being parked for good, he's not yet sure how to reach these young rural readers.

"It's our goal to continue doing outreach."

Wilson often brings them in for library activities, but she and many of the kids...may now be charged. 

"We do a lot with the library in Grand Island for our program. There's been fairs and different activities they have for kids so we do go to that library."

Reporter's Notes: Stacia Kalinoski

Fosselman said if charging non-residents doesn't make up the revenue gap, they'll likely lose city library services down the road.

The bookmobile shuts down October 30th and will need to be moved to storage in county property. The Hall County Board of Supervisors Chairman couldn't be reached for comment. But Fosselman said it's unclear if the county will reunite with the library down the road. 

The bookmobile decision was made awhile back, but the decision to possibly charge non-residents was made Monday night at a library board meeting.