Library Budget

The Library budget provides library services for County residents and visitors of all ages through four libraries located in Lakeport, Clearlake, Middletown, and Upper Lake. These services include loaning books and materials to residents, programs and events for children, teens, and adults that promote life-long learning and literacy, internet access through free Wi-Fi and public computers, reference assistance, and the adult literacy program.

The library is primarily funded with a dedicated property tax approved by the voters in 1974. Property taxes make up the majority of all revenue. A very small portion of revenue is provided by library fines, fees, charges for printing, copying, and meeting room rent. 

The Lake County Library budget overall is very lean. The below table compares library staff full-time equivalence, expenditures on staff, and expenditures on library materials per capita to neighboring counties. A higher per capita number means more is being spent per person who lives in that area. 

2021 / 2022 Library Statistical Report

LibrariesStaff FTE per 1,000 PopulationTotal Staff Expenditure Per CapitaMaterials Expenditures Per Capita
Colusa County Free Library    0.4045$32.03$4.81
Lake County Library
0.1744$9.88$1.92
Mendocino County Library   0.3611$26.07$2.30
Napa County Library0.4013$42.28$5.57
Sonoma County Library0.4078$40.62$6.26
Willows Public Library0.3286$15.70$0.51


Source: California Library Statistics Portal

Below you can see a summary excerpt of the budget adopted by the Board of Supervisors for the county fiscal year, which starts in July and ends in June. You may also view the full County Budget on our website

Revenue for 2022 / 2023Amount
Property Tax (All Combined)$970,765
Timber Yield$30
Rents and Concessions (Room Rent, Printing, and Copying Charges)$7,100
Revenue from Use of Money$160
State Aid (HOPTR)$8,400
State Aid (Grants from State)$155399
Other Federal$25,700
Communication Services$58,632
Other Current Services (Library Fines and Fees)$8,700
Miscellaneous and Donations$5,000
Operating Transfers In$441,016
Total Revenue$1,680,902


Expenditures for 2021 / 2022Amount
Salaries and Employee Benefits$868,665
Communications$68,350
Household Expense (Janitorial)$19,030
Public Liability$4,290
Fire and Allied Coverage$40,444
Maintenance - Equipment$5,690
Maintenance - Buildings$35,470
Memberships$3,730
Supplies$17,700
Postage$4,660
Professional Services$127,200
Administrative Charges$134,642
Publications$150
Rents and Leases$1
Supplies and Services - Library Materials (Please See Note Below Table)$289,200
Transportation$2,700
Utilities$64,900
Inventory Items$42,500
Taxes and Assessments$190
Literacy Program Supplies$45,620
Autos & Light Trucks$196,659
Interfund Reimbursements−$15,000
Total Expenditure$1,956,791


Note: The Supplies and Services - Library Materials budget is used to purchase new books, audiobooks, DVDs, ebooks, newspapers, magazines, microfilming, and other public materials for the library collection at all four branches.

The library is also supported by donations from the public and non-profit charities such as the Friends of the Lake County Library. Most donations are deposited and expended in a separate fund.

If you have questions or concerns about the library budget please feel free to email the Library Director Christopher Veach