Since 2011, the Champaign Public Library has lost more than 8,000 cardholders, dropping 21 percent from 37,710 to 29,657, according to library data. The Urbana Free Library has lost about 1,100 cardholders in the same time period. It had 13,880 cardholders in 2011 and now has 12,762 cardholders, a decrease of 8.1 percent.

Foundations for the public libraries in Champaign and Urbana are getting more sophisticated in seeking donations to help the libraries with special projects from building maintenance to cultural programs.

The Urbana Free Library is launching a vinyl record collection, in response to the interest in vinyl recordings that has persists, despite the dominance of digital formats.

Part-time workers at the Urbana Free Library say they've been hit with reductions in work hours that leave them carrying too much of the burden of a 5.5% budget cuts.