Palm Springs library faces outsized budget cut; city says reduction reflects actual spending

The Palm Springs Public Library is absorbing a $93,600 budget cut this year — a larger dollar reduction than cuts imposed on the city’s police department, whose budget is more than 13 times the size of the library’s — and library staff are warning the situation could worsen significantly next year.

The cuts stem from a citywide across-the-board reduction applied to a budget category called “materials and supplies.” Because the library consolidated its book, programming, and supply accounts into that single category to simplify accounting, the percentage reduction hit the library far harder than other departments.

Director of Library Services Jeannie Kays said the library absorbed nearly 3% of its total budget in cuts, compared to 0.14% for the police department and 0.3% for the fire department. The three departments combined accounted for 52% of all cuts made citywide, with the library alone accounting for 19%.

The police department’s cut amounted to $65,000 despite a $46 million budget. The library’s budget is approximately $3.5 million.

“Our cut was greater than the police department’s cut, and the police department’s budget is $46 million and ours is 3.5,” Kays said during the board’s Wednesday meeting.

Kays said the affected accounts cover adult fiction, nonfiction, and new best-seller purchases — the core of the library’s collection. She noted that allowing gaps in annual book purchases creates long-term collection problems, pointing to a period around 2008 when no books were purchased, leaving the collection with a visible information gap for years afterward.

Kays said she has managed to stay within budget this year by drawing from other accounts, but said the situation next year is more serious. The projected cut for fiscal year 2026-27 could reach $157,000, an amount she said cannot be absorbed the same way.

Chief Communications Officer Amy Blaisdell said the library’s budget was reduced to reflect previous years’ actual expenses, a standard applied across all city departments.

“In the budget update … this June, staff will re-assess revenues, department budgets and goals and provide an update to council regarding FY 26/27,” Blaisdell said.

The Library Board of Trustees voted earlier this month to invite City Manager Scott Stiles to meet with the board to discuss the issue directly. A trustee said the board has a fiduciary responsibility to weigh in.

“Books are the substance of our program,” one trustee said. “It would seem to me that is program expense.”

Kays said she hopes the June reassessment results in a correction before next year’s budget takes effect, but said the current trajectory is not sustainable if the disparity is not addressed.

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