The city anticipates a $12 million shortfall for fiscal year 2028, and the public library is weighing options that include eliminating Sunday hours, reducing service days or closing a branch.
Des Moines public libraries could see reduced hours and services as part of the options under review to address an anticipated $12 million city budget shortfall for fiscal year 2028, which begins July 1, 2027.
The Des Moines Public Library Board of Trustees said the library accounts for approximately 4% of the city’s General Fund. Based on that share, its portion of the shortfall would be $480,000.
The City of Des Moines launched a survey for residents and property owners on Monday, June 29, along with a tool called the Budget Savings Calculator. Residents can participate at DSM.city/Budget.
The library is seeking proportional, reversible savings
The Des Moines Public Library Board of Trustees identified three principles for evaluating possible reductions: savings should be proportional to the library’s share of the General Fund, the measures should be reversible, and they should have the least possible impact on the library’s ability to serve the community.
The library has an approximate budget of $10.8 million. Its proportional target in response to the $12 million shortfall would be $480,000 in savings.
The options under review would affect open hours at several branches. That would reduce programs such as storytimes, STEM activities, adult education, afterschool services and summer options for youth.
The cuts could also limit access to public spaces, library materials, reference services and public internet.
Eliminating Sunday hours would save $500,000
The first strategy would eliminate Sunday hours at Central Library and Franklin Avenue Library, which are currently open from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sundays.
This option would also keep some current vacant positions unfilled and apply administrative efficiencies. The library estimates the measure would generate $500,000 in savings.
The library projects a 5% decline in annual visits if these changes are implemented.
Four smaller branches could lose one service day
The second option would cut one additional full day of service at the four smallest branches: East Side Library, Forest Avenue Library, North Side Library and South Side Library.
These four libraries are already closed on Sundays. Under this strategy, they would close one more day during the week.
Central Library and Franklin Avenue Library would remain open that day to provide services. The measure would save $440,000 and could reduce annual visits by 8%.
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The two largest branches could also close one day
The third strategy would eliminate one non-Sunday service day at Central Library and Franklin Avenue Library.
If this option were implemented on its own, the other four branches would open that day to maintain library services across the city. If combined with the second strategy, all six libraries would close for one non-Sunday service day.
The library estimates this option would save $230,000. The projected reduction in annual visits would be 10%.
The Board of Trustees warned that the cuts are cumulative. If the first three strategies were implemented together, the library anticipates a 23% drop in annual visits.
Together, those three measures would generate $1.17 million in savings, nearly 2.5 times the library’s proportional share of $480,000.
An extreme option would close one library
The fourth strategy would close one full branch: East Side Library, Forest Avenue Library, North Side Library or South Side Library.
That option would generate $400,000 in savings, but the Board of Trustees considers it a measure that would likely cause irreversible harm to the library system and the affected neighborhoods.
Each branch serves readers, students, families, book clubs, nonprofit organizations, neighborhood associations and residents who use public internet, educational materials or community rooms.
The Board of Trustees said it is working to avoid closing a library and to keep all branches in the system open.
The city survey is available at DSM.city/Budget
The City of Des Moines survey includes options to balance the budget in response to the anticipated $12 million shortfall.
The four library cost-cutting strategies are among the measures that could appear in the Budget Savings Calculator exercise.
The tool is available at DSM.city/Budget for Des Moines residents and property owners. The library also asked community members to share comments with City Council representatives during the budget process.
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