Mission Statement

Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL) provide equitable access to information, ideas, and experiences that spark imagination and expand possibilities for all. The department's libraries are an essential component of a just and equitable community, where all can thrive and grow.

MCPL'S VALUES

Discovery - MCPL is a champion of curiosity, exploration, and growth. MCPL supports members of the community to expand their knowledge, learn new skills, spark ideas, and make connections.

Intellectual Freedom - MCPL believes in free, open, and confidential access to ideas and information for all as a cornerstone of a thriving democratic society.

Equity - MCPL believes all residents of Montgomery County deserve equal and inclusive access to all the library's resources, regardless of race, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, income, education, language, disability, and/or immigration status.

Respect - MCPL strives to treat everyone with kindness, provide a safe and welcoming environment for all, and honor the knowledge and lived experience of all members of the community.

Service - MCPL connects members of the community with the information they want and need, as efficiently as possible. MCPL anticipates and adapts to the changing needs, desires, and expectations of community members.

Community - MCPL is the backbone of the community, a place to connect with each other. MCPL forges strong, reciprocal relationships with residents, community organizations, and other County departments in service of our shared goals.

Budget Overview

The total recommended FY26 Operating Budget for the Department of Public Libraries is $54,948,439 an increase of $2,101,138 or 3.98 percent from the FY25 Approved Budget of $52,847,301 Personnel Costs comprise 81.34 percent of the budget for 255 full-time position(s) and 173 part-time position(s), and a total of 385.31 FTEs. Total FTEs may include seasonal or temporary positions and may also reflect workforce charged to or from other departments or funds. Operating Expenses account for the remaining 18.66 percent of the FY26 budget.

In addition, this department's Capital Improvements Program (CIP) requires Current Revenue funding.

County Priority Outcomes

While this program area supports all eight of the County Result Areas, the following are emphasized:

• Thriving Youth and Families
• A Growing Economy
• A Greener County
• Effective, Sustainable Government

Program Performance Measures

Performance measures for this department are included below (where applicable), with multi-program measures displayed at the front of this section and program-specific measures shown with the relevant program. The FY25 estimates reflect funding based on the FY25 approved budget. The FY26 and FY27 figures are performance targets based on the FY26 recommended budget and funding for comparable service levels in FY27.

Initiatives

• Continue redevelopment of World Languages collections in alignment with the County's language priorities. Adds $153,667 in FY26 funding to begin the revitalization of these collections, with purchases in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, French, Amharic, Farsi, Russian, and Bengali, distributed to library branches where those languages are most spoken.
• Meet demand for digital materials through Hoopla platform by adding $121,464 in FY26 for ebooks, eaudiobooks, emagazines, emusic, and evideo.
• Replace old water fountains ahead of renovations with filtered water bottle fillers to reduce the amount of plastic water bottles brought into its buildings in order to support a greener environment.
• Record participation in the Summer Reading Challenge with 16,652 participants, a 21% increase from last year, including a new Adult Summer Reading program where 31% of adults completed their challenge. Teen enrollment increased by 318 participants, and 3,194 children under 12 earned Nationals tickets by completing specific reading goals. MCPL plans to expand its Winter Reading Challenge to all ages, adding new features like custom gameboards and a kickoff party to boost engagement.
• Expand Teen Mental Health Week with additional programming through collaborative efforts between various Montgomery County departments (MCPL, Department of Recreation, and the Department of Health and Human Services). Teen Mental Health Week was a week-long initiative, from April 6th - April 13th, focused on raising awareness about mental health issues affecting teenagers, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Expanding the program into an annual offering helps to create a culture of compassion, understanding, and support for youth as they navigate the challenges of adolescence and beyond.
• Expand MoComCon to a two-day event to continue MCPL's commitment to providing access to the whole community through innovative and diverse programming. By providing two days for MoComCon, MCPL allows more equitable access to this event and ensures that different age levels can focus on events tailored to their interests.
• Increased emphasis on professional development training for MCPL staff through highlighting training programs offered by the County and library partners and streamlining training offerings through the implementation of a learning management system (LMS) software system. Began publishing the training calendar as an Airtable spreadsheet, which can be connected to staff outlook calendars and categorized by Strategic Goals to better collect data. MCPL plans to convert the Airtable database to Microsoft Lists to integrate into the SharePoint site.

Innovations and Productivity Improvements

• Launched new full-service Digital Library Card in Spring 2024, allowing customers to self-verify their identification 24/7 from anywhere. Additionally, a Google Wallet and Apple Pay option is now available for customers to access their card from a smart phone.
• Utilize new Electric Outreach Van to assist MCPL in reaching communities in areas where it is difficult to access a physical library building. This will help mitigate the disruption caused for the community while the Damascus Library is closed for refresh.
• Replaced vendor for computer and print management in the branches for more efficient customer printing and computer management.
• Plan to implement updated barcode scanners at library service desks to expedite and improve accuracy in new customer registration process.
• Develop RFP for a new materials handler for the Collection Management warehouse which will improve efficiency in the distribution of materials to branches putting them in the hands of the customers more quickly.
• Pursue procurement of new people counters in branches to improve accuracy of foot traffic statistics to measure library customer visits, and optimize services provided based on data collected.
• Develop AI chatbot as an additional customer service tool.
• Use Microsoft Power Automate to streamline many functions of the HR and Staff Development Unit such as streamlining the onboarding process by collecting data available via Microsoft profiles and pulling that data into the spreadsheets, consolidating manually entered completions of onboarding steps into one place, and automating the certification process with color coding of due dates.

Program Descriptions

  Administration

The Office of the Director has the responsibility for the overall management and leadership of the department. The Director's Office also oversees strategic planning and evaluation of services, public relations with the community, marketing the department's services, partnerships, Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), and the Library Board. The Director's Office directly...

  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...