MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. — The Menomonee Falls library budget will look different for 2026 after the Village Board voted to reallocate $300,000 from the library to the police department on Monday.
"The library is always consistently a target," frequent library visitor, Jason Klimas said.
The funding shift will allow the police department to hire two new officers and help with recruitment efforts, according to village officials.
"It's a mess and it's very disappointing," Klimas said.
Klimas expressed concern about the decision-making process behind the reallocation.
Watch: Menomonee Falls residents worried about library budget cuts and policy changes
"I don't agree with how they're taking the money from the library without really coming up with any answers in terms of what other solutions did they look at," he said.
As a regular library visitor with his daughters, Klimas worries about the long-term impact of the budget cut.
"What if they can't fund and maintain this stuff. That opportunities that are available now that they are younger — if they won't be here when they're in high school. That's really disappointing," Klimas said.
Derek Blemberg, another library user, shares similar concerns. His family has used the library plenty of times over the years.
"It provides a ridiculous amount of services for a wide variety of people. They really need to reconsider," Blemberg said.
When TMJ4's Megan Lee asked the library board for comment on the reallocation, they declined. However, they did address a policy change they unanimously passed.
The library board made changes to the Collection Development Policy (4.01), which would eliminate the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights.
"It's time to move on from the book removal/book banning narrative. It's not happening and it cannot happen," library board member, Ann Lessila said.
Blemberg strongly disagrees with this policy change.
"Removing the American library's Associations professional standards and way of operating is akin to doctors ignoring best practices that the American Medical Association puts forward," he said.
Nicole Barker, president of the library board, defended the decision.
"Taking them out of the policy in no way changes our alliance of professional librarians review of materials in anyway," Barker said.
If you want to read more about the policy changes, click here.
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