The Cass County Board of Supervisors today (Wednesday), heard an annual report from Atlantic Public Library Director Natalie Struecker, on behalf of the six libraries located in Cass County, and a request for Fiscal Year 2018 funding.

Struecker said the libraries are looking at updating some of their community services because the State has updated the standards by which libraries are graded and receive State funding. She said the Atlantic Library already does much of what the State is asking, because it is bigger and has the funding to accomplish many of the goals, but some of the smaller libraries in the County will struggle in some areas, such as adding an online catalogue.

Struecker asked the Board to consider an increase in funding over last year’s increase, in the amount of $2,000 per library, or $24,000 altogether.

The Board will consider how much to contribute when they work on hammering out their County budget in January. During the last Fiscal Year (2017), the Board gave each of the libraries a $600 increase. The prior Fiscal Year they gave an additional $1,000.