The State of the Library, 2023
Circulation
In 2023, the number of books, eBooks, audiobooks, large print books, etc. borrowed by our community grew by 6.9% to a total of 579,063 checkouts system-wide, including:
- Bowling Green: 372,083 (^3.9%)
- Walbridge: 47,743 (^3.4%)
- Bookmobile & Outreach: 15,894 (^29.3%)
- Wood County Jail Library: 10,877 (^66.7%)
- eMedia & Digital Content: 134,466 (^12%)
Cardholders: 22,483
The library owns a collection of 172,667 items across four locations.
All library locations cumulatively saw 142,480 total visitors (a 14% increase), with an average of 2,740 visitors per week.
Events
The library offered 1,011 programs and events over the course of 2023. These programs and events were attended by 30,237 people (a 50% increase).
2023 Highlights
- The Foundation's Novel Night raised over $141,000 for the purchase of new books, audiobooks, eBooks, large print books, picture books, and more.
- Author visits like those with Sonia Manzano, Kevin Noble Maillard, Juana Martinez-Neal, Will Hillenbrand, Jerry Pallotta, and Viola Shipman were met with excitement and large crowds.
- Our community outreach expanded to include events like the BG Farmer’s Market and BG Chamber Expo, while still participating in events like BGSU’s Campus Fest and the BG Holiday Parade.
- Over 1,300 children came All Together Now in the 2023 Summer Reading Program.
- Over 1,200 entries were submitted to our Winter Reading Program, Feed Your Mind.
- We were out and about around Wood County with Outreach & Bookmobile services, going to more schools, learning centers, childcare facilities, and senior living facilities than ever before.
- Our parking lot was refinished and expanded as the BG City building was completed, allowing us more parking space for patrons to attend programs and have easier access to library services and materials.
2023 Revenue
| Source: | Amount: | Percentage: |
| State Public Library Fund | $1,990,172 | 56.25% |
| Local Levy | $1,144,159 | 32.34% |
| Fees, Interest, Misc. | $215,050 | 6.08% |
| Foundation & Friends | $188,504 | 5.33% |
| Total | $3,537,885 |
2023 Expenditures
| Category: | Amount: | Percentage: |
| Personnel | $1,743,985 | 61.68% |
| Supplies | $56,807 | 2.01% |
| Services | $490,882 | 17.35% |
| New Materials | $468,511 | 16.55% |
| FFE & Technology | $51,205 | 1.81% |
| Other | $18,642 | 0.66% |
| Total | $2,830,032 |
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- 0.8 mill, 5-year levy passed in November 2010 with 58% approval.
- Levy RENEWED for 6 years in November 2014 with 70% approval.
- Levy RENEWED for 6 years in November 2020 with 73% approval.
- Levy funding accounts for 37% of the library's tax revenue support.
- The current levy will next be on the ballot in November 2026.
- State funding for libraries is set at 1.70% of General Revenue.
- As the economy improves and state revenues grow, so does support for libraries. As General Revenue decreases (or is cut), so does support for libraries.
- State funding accounts for 63% of the library's tax revenue support.
You may download PDFs of the current and previous States of the Library from the links below.