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Program Description

  Library Services to the Public

MCPL consists of 23 library sites including the Noyes Library for Young Children, the Montgomery County Correctional Facility Library, and the Collection Management Center.

Library services are available to all County residents, Maryland residents, and those working or attending school in Montgomery County, free of charge. Library customers use MCPL services including information services for children and adults delivered in person, over the telephone, and outside the walls; a Public Access Catalog for access to indices and full text materials; downloadable content and streaming services; automated renewal, online catalog, and customer account access (24 hours, 7 days a week); programming for children, teens, seniors, and adults; technologies such as Launchpads, wireless hotspots, and in-house laptops; and meeting rooms and collaboration spaces for public use. MCPL is a fine free library system.

The Collection Development Unit provides for the selection, acquisition, cataloging, processing, and delivery of library content and materials, including electronic resources, ebooks, eaudiobooks, and streaming services. It is responsible for planning and inclusion of new formats and the evaluation of collections in relation to community information needs. Collections are purchased for English learners, as well as collections in world languages.

The materials delivery service delivers new materials, customer requested items, and returned materials among MCPL branches.

The Cataloging and Processing Unit prepares all library materials for use in the branches.

The inter-library loan service provides opportunities for Montgomery County cardholders to use materials from public library systems throughout Maryland, from out-of-state public libraries, and from academic and special libraries throughout the world.

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Program Contacts

Contact Steve Kapani of the Department of Public Libraries at 240-777-0045 or Deborah Lambert of the Office of Management and Budget at 240-777-2794 for more information regarding this department's operating budget.

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Program Performance Measures

Program Performance MeasuresActual FY23Actual FY24Estimated FY25Target FY26Target FY27
Total library collection use 1 11,447,283 12,560,35313,913,40814,795,50615,510,909
Library electronic database usage3,447,727 4,592,166 5,587,206 6,308,921 6,898,604
Number of library visits 23,393,1243,542,0473,905,1124,116,2784,288,814
Number of public computer sessions164,108 195,142 216,440 233,158 246,817
Attendance at library programs 3189,168270,850 308,404 346,281 377,228
Active library users 4130,931135,887 150,274 158,458 165,145
Number of participants in early literacy programming 554,465 59,376 62,861 65,564 67,772
1  This performance measure includes the number of physical items checked out from the library, plus the items used in-house by customers, and the checkouts of ebooks, eaudiobooks, and similar electronic materials.
2  “Library visits” represent customer branch access to services and resources inside the facility.
3  Numbers represent onsite and virtual program attendees.
4  “Active user” is a registered MCPL borrower who has used their library card at least once within the 12-month period from current date of data search. These users are associated with a Montgomery County zip code.
5  “Early Literacy Programming” comprises the number of attendees at Storytimes.
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Program Budget Changes

FY26 Recommended ChangesExpendituresFTEs
FY25 Approved49711879360.61
Enhance: Increase World Languages Collection1536670.00
Enhance: Increase Collection Acquisitions Budget to Meet Demand for Digital Materials (Hoopla at Five Uses per Month)1214640.00
Increase Cost: Contract Escalators1093110.00
Shift: Annual Costs for Software License Renewals and Maintenance Agreements from FY25 Capital Improvement Program to FY25 Operating Budget310000.00
Increase Cost: Mid-Year Convert Part-Time Librarian I to Full-Time Librarian I at Germantown Library236970.20
Increase Cost: Mid-Year Convert Part-Time Library Associate II to Full-Time Library Associate at Connie Morella Library73740.50
Decrease Cost: Mid-Year Abolish Part-Time Library Associate and Convert Part-Time Librarian I to Full-Time Librarian I at Davis Library-81160.00
Re-align: Operating Expenses with Anticipated Grant Award-131770.00
Decrease Cost: Mid-Year Abolish Part-Time Library Assistant I and Convert Part-Time Library Assistant I to Full-Time at Twinbrook Library-132950.00
Decrease Cost: Mid-Year Abolish Part-Time Library Assistant I and Convert Part-Time Library Assistant I to Full-Time at Rockville Memorial Library-132950.00
Decrease Cost: Mid-Year Abolish Part-Time Librarian I and Convert Part-Time Librarian I to Full-Time at Brigadier General Charles E. McGee Library-132950.00
Decrease Cost: Mid-Year Combine Two Part-Time Library Assistant Is to One Full-Time Library Assistant I at Olney Library-150700.00
Decrease Cost: Office Supplies, Furniture, and Moving Expenses-378730.00
Reduce: Adult, Teen, and Early Literacy Programming Expenses-480000.00
Decrease Cost: Mid-Year Abolish Manager III and Convert Library Technician from Part-Time to Full-Time in Collection Management Unit-106555-0.50
Reduce: Discontinue Lowest Performing Databases but Retain Gale Entrepreneurship and Gale Business Plan Builder Resources-2010430.00
Decrease Cost: Mid-Year Abolish Manager III and Part-Time Library Associate to create Program Manager I (Early Literacy) and Program Manager II (Central Programming)-228233-1.50
Multi-program adjustments, including negotiated compensation changes, employee benefit changes, changes due to staff turnover, reorganizations, and other budget changes affecting multiple programs.26454430.00
FY26 Recommended52105883359.31