Last night Library Director Julia Pusateri provided an update to our electors about the Library in 2025. Read below for the Director’s remarks and check out the information we shared.
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In taking some time to reflect on 2025 and the happenings since our last report, I am happy to share some of the incredible work the Library has done over the past year.
In 2025, we saw over 10,300 visitors to the Library and circulated (checked out) over 9,300 items to our community. Between notary services, free broadband internet, meeting spaces, and programs for all ages, the Library continues to be incredibly active and plays a critical part in the fabric of our community.
Our library services through programs, checking out books, DVDs, and games, meeting room use, and internet use has a retail value of over $380,000. With taxing revenue at $165,000, we’re able to more than double the value of our community’s investment in the Library. The median household contributes about $40 of Mercer taxes to the Library, meaning that by checking out 2-3 books or DVDs, or attending 2-3 programs over the course of the entire year, you’ve made your money back.
We offered 101 programs including our Artist in Residence program, welcomed renowned author Sara Rath, ran 10 weeks of summer programming with over 340 attendees, and tricked and treated with over 160 kids-at-heart for Halloween. Local history programming brought in over 230 attendees across topics including Lost Locations, the Mercer Murders, and early Mercer residents. And that only names a handful of programs.
Our partnerships include Carow Park and the Park Board through the Library’s StoryWalk program, the Mercer Senior Center, the Mercer Area Chamber of Commerce, local businesses, and numerous non-profits. We continue to strive to lift others and highlight the incredible work going on throughout the community.
Lastly, we owe a debt of gratitude to the volunteers who made our Library renovations possible. With little notice, over 84 different people showed up to pack and unpack the Library through blizzards, freezing cold, and many paper cuts. In 14 days, our volunteers worked for 759 hours, which translates to over 4.5 months of full-time work.
Our renovations are nearly complete and we expect the final part, the much anticipated meeting room pods will be ready for use by the end of June. Our renovations included much needed facility improvements, replacement of cabinetry, and enhancing Miss Marge’s Room through the painting of a mural and purchase of new furniture. The children’s library space has been dedicated to Marge Pemble since 2014 to honor her service to the Library and her passion for the education of Mercer’s youth.
It is my honor and privilege to serve as your Library Director and to represent what many in our community is the heart and soul of Mercer.