The Warsaw Community Public Library Board of Trustees unveiled its preliminary budget for 2000 Monday, and the initial plan calls for a 7 percent increase over the 1999 budget.

"This is only a rough outline of the budget," Ann Zydek, library director, told the board.

The initial budget for next year calls for (by line item):

• Personnel services (salaries, wages and benefits) - $868,996;

• Supplies - $52,411;

• Other services (professional services, communication and transportation, utilities, printing and advertising, debt service, repairs and maintenance, etc.) - $319,685;

• Capital outlays (land, buildings, furniture and equipment, books, periodicals, sound recordings, videos, software) - $373,315.

According to business manager Renee Sweeney, the proposed budget includes an anticipated increase in the minimum wage to $6.50 per hour.

The public hearing for the 2000 budget is tentatively set for Aug. 30 at the library.

In other business, assistant director Joni Brookins advised the board the library has received a $6,750 grant through the Library Services and Training Act for a multimedia assessment study. The study is needed to determine the library's needs to participate in the statewide distance learning project of the Indiana State Library.

"The state library is looking to locate one center in every county. This grant will allow us to determine what needs we have in order to participate in that program," she said.

Zydek said joining in the statewide project, where participating libraries are connected by computer for teleconferencing to participate in classes, seminars and other educational programming, is in keeping with the board's goal of expanding the programs available through the library.

"We see this as another way to expand on the service we can offer this community," she said. [[In-content Ad]]