A $60,000 increase to the Austin library budget is mostly a reflection of increases to fixed costs like salaries and utilities, as well as a greater investment in children’s books.

“It was slightly larger than we expected,” board member Duane Feragen said. “After a lot of discussion, we decided it was merited to maintain materials and just the cost of doing business.”

Almost half of the 7.2 percent increase was salary increased to full-time employees and more part-time staff use.

Feragen said that was the dominant expense, and one that board members have only limited control over. In fact, he said, more use of part-time staff will ultimately be a cost-saver for the library.

“(Library director Ann Hokanson) is trying to manage her service delivery channels with a little more temp work,” he said.

Utilities also accounted for $8,000 more in expenditures from 2007.

“I think they are going to blow the budget with the way the numbers are running,” Feragen said of utilities. “It’s everybody.”

Audio visual rentals and children’s books and periodicals saw the steepest boost in capital costs, which also includes adult materials, furniture and electronics. Feragen said the $13,500 increase is strategic particularly as youth are concerned, because they’ve proven to be one of the biggest users of the facility following more investment in their interests.

“A couple of years ago there was a big investment in the children’s section, and the circulation has shown that,” Feragen said.

Library administrative assistant Jeanne Steinbrink said the initiative included more visual reading space for children. The library is currently considering more redesign inside, she said, are still crunching numbers and determining affordability.

In total, the library will request $1.12 million from the city and county, most of which will derive from $853,000 in local property and other city taxes. At a library board meeting last month, commissioner Dick Lang, 4th District, warned members that the county would not have an excess of funds given what’s slated for the $32 million jail and justice center project.

“I have a little thing going on called a jail,” he said. “We’ve ran into a lot of costs.

“I think the funding, the timing — all that matters,” he added.

The board requested $214,000 from the county, or $10,000 more from last year.

The city and county will review and vote on the budget in the coming month, Steinbrink said.

The board also welcome new member Catalina Ferreira-Truong. Ferreira-Truong works as a translator for Austin Public Schools and as a coordinator at Pacelli for foreign exchange students.

She also has a journalism background and a real estate license.

“She’s very interested in the library, very interested in the schools, and I think she’ll be a great addition,” Steinbrink said.