Monroe library to charge fee for DVDs

Monroe - Effective Jan. 2, the Monroe Free Library will charge a $1 usage fee per DVD. The library also will reduce its new book budget by 10 percent. Both measures come in response to the defeat of its annual budget last month. “The primary source of the proposed increase was the increasing cost of fixed expenses,” said Library Director Marilyn McIntosh, who cited health insurance and utilities as examples. The 2010 budget line for insurance was $51,000. The library’s insurance agent has told library officials to expect to pay more than $80,000 in 2011. The cost of utilities for heating oil and electricity is expected to increase by at least 5 percent; the library also had to replace the exterior lights to replace degraded equipment. The library’s budget is $1,2 million. It is posted at http://monroefreelibrary.org/budget/.