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Hillsboro city commissioners have agreed to fund a summer public library program again.

For the eighth year, city sales tax revenues will be used to pay wages for a summer librarian at the Hillsboro High School Public Library.

Library assistant Lorna Nysveen presented the request at Monday’s commission meeting. Commissioners agreed to pay her hourly wages and benefits up to $2,900. The amount had been earmarked in the city’s 2008 budget. 

The library will be open 22 hours per week for 10 weeks. Summer hours are 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

Nysveen’s request was actually $2,915 for salary and $150 to purchase children’s books for the library. The commissioners decided to stick to their budget. Commissioner Lorraine Tibert made a motion to fund the full amount — $3,065 — but it failed for lack of a second.

The city has funded the program since the summer of 2001. Librarian Kay Rotvold said several hundred people use the library each summer. The program provides access to books, magazines, newspapers, audio books and the internet for local residents as well as visitors to the area.

A once-a-week story hour is also staged at the library for preschool children coordinated by the Hillsboro Community Activities Association and funded by the local Kiwanis Club.

Nysveen, a school employee during the school year, will continue to receive her paycheck from the school, which will bill the city for the cost of the summer library program.