Employees with the The Knox County Public Library will receive a bump in pay in addition to a boost in longevity pay in 2016.
The library board on Tuesday voted to raise the base salary for library personnel by 5-percent and increase longevity pay by 200-dollars.
Library Director Emily Bunyan says workers had not received a raise since 2013.
The board also encumbered funds to pay for new furniture in the newly renovated youth department. The board previously agreed to purchase the furniture through Regal Furniture of Vincennes.
The furniture will be a combination of new and retro looking style pieces to go along with the renovations in the Carengie wing of the library. Greg Risley with Regal Furniture says the new fixtures are expected to arrive this spring.
Outgoing Knox County Library Board President Thelma Morrison was recognized for her efforts in guiding the board through the remodeling of the youth department. The Carengie wing of the library underwent a complete renovation which basically restored the library to the way it looked when it first opened in 1919. Morrison says it’s so rewarding to walk upstairs and see what they were able to accomplish. She says feedback from the public has been very positive. Library Director Emily Bunyan presented Morrison with a photo taken of her during the re-dedication ceremony. Morrison says the board will be looking at making improvements to the teen area located in the basement of the library including restoring a small stage that was housed in the area.