On Tuesday, October 3, 2023, the Warren County Board of Supervisors approved the signed Library Funding Agreement between the Samuels Public Library Board of Trustees and the Warren County Board of Supervisors. This funding agreement establishes a two-year fiscal agreement between Warren County and Samuels Public Library and provides for automatic renewals in subsequent years.

The Warren County Board of Supervisors and the Samuels Public Library Board have both invested significant time and energy into the collaborative agreement. The two boards have worked together to ensure the agreement supports the interests of all residents of Warren County and ensures a voice in the use of the tax dollars being contributed to the library’s operational budget.

Vicky Cook, Chairperson and Fork District Supervisor commented, “I am pleased that Warren County Board of Supervisors and the Samuels Library Board of Trustees have come to an agreement that will continue our partnership of providing an outstanding library service to our community.”

Under the Agreement, Warren County will appropriate all funds that were previously budgeted by the County Board for the fiscal year, which began July 1 and ends on June 30, 2024. The funds will continue to be distributed quarterly to the library as it has in the past.

“This is a positive outcome for all Warren County residents,” said Melody Hotek, president of the library’s trustee board. “We would like to thank the Warren County Board Supervisors for listening to citizen input and negotiating in good faith to reach a workable solution that benefits the entire community.”

The agreement comes after the Samuels Library Board of Trustees approved and adopted two new types of library cards to address citizen concerns in July.  Another important development involves the establishment of a County Representative seat on the Samuels Library Board of Trustees Executive Committee.

About Samuels Library

Originally founded in 1799 and renamed Samuels Public Library in 1952, it became the second library in the state to receive a charter and has served the citizens of Front Royal and Warren County for more than two centuries. In the past fiscal year, the library has added 2,035 new cardholders and held 650 in-person and virtual programs hosting 19,843 attendees. Hosting more than 125,000 visitors annually, the library logged 391,919 total checkouts last year. For more information on Samuels Public Library go to: www.samuelslibrary.net

For a copy of the memorandum of agreement, a request can be made through Warren County, Office of the County Attorney, 220 North Commerce Avenue, Suite 100, Front Royal, VA.

A copy of the memorandum of agreement can be viewed on the Warren County website www.warrencountyva.gov or on the Samuels Public Library website.