Why are Somerset County's public libraries hoping for a 'Secret Santa' gift this year?

Secret Santas are often acting behind the scenes this time of year, helping others in their community by doing a good deed or giving a gift purely for the joy of giving to someone else.

Joshua Seese, director of the Windber Public Library, hopes at least one Santa will help their community library reach its fundraising goal by the end of the year. As of Dec. 6, the library had raised just over $18,000, but still had a way to go to reach its $30,000 goal.

“The best thing we can do is show them where their money goes,” Seese said.  “We’re hoping that for Christmas, we will get some gracious donations from the community.

“A couple Secret Santas can make a world of difference.”

How are public libraries funded?

Educational programs, genealogical research, computer classes and more — even the opportunity to learn to play a ukulele — are available to patrons of all ages at one of Somerset County’s public libraries. The Somerset County Federated Library System’s Bookmobile also brings library books to communities throughout the county.

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Natural gas and electricity increases took a bigger bite of the Windber Public Library’s operating budget this year, Seese said, along with some unbudgeted expenses like a new hot water heater and some unexpected repairs.

Costs of paper, toner and equipment leases have also gone up, as public libraries continue to offer services like computer usage, wireless internet and copying, printing, scanning and faxing of documents for free or at a minimal cost.

So as local libraries’ operating costs go up, the amount they must spend on books and other materials goes up as well. According to section 9335 of Pennsylvania Library Laws under the state Department of Education, a local library or library system must fundraise at least $5 per capita, or for each person who resides in the municipalities they serve, and it must spend not less than 12% of its operating budget on collections, to be eligible for state aid.

“We’re happy to do it (purchase new materials), but it’s an additional expense,” Seese said.

Grant funding often helps start new programs, but then the challenge is to try to sustain these programs once the grant is over, said Cheryl Morgan, administrator of the Somerset County Federated Library System, which is a consortium of four independent libraries in the county: the Somerset County Library and its Conemaugh Township branch, the Meyersdale Public Library and the Windber Public Library. Morgan is also the director of the Somerset County Library, in Somerset.

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The libraries do their own fundraising, she said, but they are able to share resources and take advantage of group buying discounts to purchase new materials for their collections.

“The Somerset County Library started new programs over the last two years, funded by grants, that we want to continue on,” she said. “We started a Next Chapter Book Club for teens and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (and) we’re trying to build that up. It’s not just about reading, but about helping them be an integral part of the community.

“We also got a grant to offer a digital literacy program, teaching computer ‘how-to’ classes to the public. Grants are great in helping start something new, but then we need to be creative to continue (those programs).”

Community support is vital

Morgan said the Friends of the Somerset County Library group helps to raise funds for the library by operating a café that sells beverages, snack items and even some microwaveable foods that staff and patrons can purchase for a quick meal.

The group is also hosting a book sale right now, offering a variety of books, audio books, DVDs and even vinyl records for purchase.

“They raise funds that we can use to match with grants; it makes the (grant) dollars go further,” she said. “They also helped to buy a three-season canopy that we use for outside programs. It’s really important (for the library) to have that support arm.”

Libraries bridge technology gap

Somerset County’s libraries help their patrons exist in today’s technology-centered world as well, with financial support from their communities.

“Libraries have always been in the business of trying to cover the digital divide,” Morgan said.

The Somerset County Federated Library System offers online access to Ancestry Library Edition, a genealogical research tool, at all four libraries, but funding is needed to renew that license every year. Other online resources could be added as well if funds were available, according to the library system’s website.

Summer STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) camps for kids and teens are offered at the Somerset, Meyersdale and Windber libraries. Area businesses are encouraged to help invest in these programs and earn tax credits through the state’s Education Improvement Tax Credit program.

The Somerset County Library and the Mary S. Biesecker Public Library, in Somerset, have partnered with T-Mobile to offer a hotspot internet checkout program for their patrons, giving them the option of home internet service for a monthly rental fee, without additional equipment or contract commitments.

The Somerset County Library also allows library card holders to check out Chromebooks, hotspots and portable power devices during library hours, or from its tech kiosk in the lobby when the library is closed. The tech kiosk opened this summer and has had over 500 uses already, Morgan said.

“We are doing what we can to keep the community moving forward,” she said. “Giving to your local library is an investment in your community.”

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Seese agreed, saying the Windber Public Library staff has been working hard “to get the word out” about the library’s funding appeal and the importance of meeting their $30,000 goal.

“Trying to get a library back is a lot harder than keeping it going,” he said. “We love to see people in here.”

How to help

Donations to Somerset County’s public libraries can be made online at each library’s website:

Somerset County Federated Library System: scfls.org  (Donors can also make specific donations to the Bookmobile, STEAM initiative, Somerset County Library, Conemaugh Township branch, Meyersdale Public Library or the Windber Public Library at this website.)

Meyersdale Public Library: meyersdalelibrary.org

Somerset County Library: somersetcolibrary.org

Windber Public Library: windberlibrary.org

Mary S. Biesecker Public Library: maryslibrary.com

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Somerset County public libraries ask for donations to sustain public services