New Libraries Win Support in Montana and Massachusetts; Ames Wins Key Referendum Vote
Snapshot of election results shows some positive signs for libraries. A big win in Pittsburgh. By Michael Kelley Nov 9, 2011The results from Tuesday's elections around the country showed some promising results for libraries. Here are a few highlights.
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh gets a boost
The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh will receive about another $3.25 million a year after passage of a 0.25 mill special tax on all taxable real estate in the city. The tax revenue, equivalent to $25 per year or $2.09 per month on $100,000 of assessed property, will be used only for the operation and maintenance of the 19-branch library system.
"What a great day to be a resident of this city and a part of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh," said Patrick Dowd, co-chair of the Library's Joint Committee on Sustainable Funding and member of the Board of Trustees said in a statement released by the library. "Today, the people of Pittsburgh demonstrated, once again, that they not only want, but need the library and the critical services it provides. "
The initiative, which received 72 percent of the vote, is just one of six solutions that was recommended by the Public-Private Task Force on Sustainable Library Funding to ensure the library has adequate funding. The library derives about 90 percent of its annual operating budget from public or government sources, including the Allegheny County Regional Asset District (which provides about two-thirds of the budget), the state, and the city. The library's operating budget is $27.3 million for FY11.
"The [library] board can move forward with the confidence that we have a sustainable funding source that will enable us to have options on what we provide, when we provide it, and how we provide it to the community," Lou Testoni, the library board's chairman, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Library expansion approved in Ames, Iowa
Voters in Ames, Iowa, approved an $18 million bond referendum to renovate the Ames Public Library. Unofficial results show that the measure passed with 76 percent of the vote, 3,960 to 1,235, according to the Iowa State Daily.
"Ames community members made a statement about their values," Pat Brown, a co-chair of the project's vote committee, told AmesPatch. "They value literature, education and the future. That's what this vote is about. It is not about brick and mortar. This generation is investing in the next generation."
The project will expand the library's space from 48,000 square feet to 77,455, and it is scheduled to be completed by late 2014 or early 2015. Art Weeks, the library's director, had previously told LJ that the measure's passage was "desperately important."
The measure required 60 percent of the vote to pass. The entire project is projected to cost $20 million, with the extra $2 million coming from donations.
New library to be built in Billings, Montana
Billings, Montana, will get a new library because 57 percent of voters there approved a $16 million bond referendum on Tuesday.
The Parmly Billings Library Foundation has already raised $5 million in private donations (including a $2 million anonymous donation) to help finance the new 66,000-square-foot Parmly Billings Library, which will replace a 56-year-old building in which the library has 46,000 square feet.
The Billings Gazette reported that the unofficial result was 17,181 in favor of the bond and 13,023 against it. A previous bond issue in 2002 lost 55 to 45 percent.
"This is going to be something amazing for this city," Leslie Modrow, development director for the library foundation, told the Gazette. The new library may open in late 2013.
Massachusetts town moves step closer to new library
Voters in South Hadley, Massachusetts, took a decisive step on Tuesday toward financing a new $10.1 million library.
The rather arcane measure on the ballot in Tuesday's special election was to exempt the the project's 20-year bond debt from Proposition 2½., which is a Massachusetts law that limits the annual increase in taxes for any municipality to 2.5 percent.
The vote was 1,751 in favor (55 percent), 1,412 against (45 percent).
The town had been awarded in July a $4,841,312 state grant toward the cost of constructing a new 22,000-square-foot South Hadley Public Library, and Tuesday's vote will help ensure the state Library Board of Commissioners releases the grant money.
However, any actual expenditures by the town will still require a two-thirds majority from voters, GazetteNet.com reported. The plan is to get approval to borrow up to $4.2 million, which would then trigger release of the grant money.
"I think this demonstrates that the town understands that investment in our infrastructure is vital to the future prosperity of South Hadley," Dr. Mitch Resnick, chairman of the library's Board of Trustees, told Masslive.com.
Ohio libraries try to compensate
Numerous levy renewals were on the ballot in Ohio as libraries there try to cope with deep cuts in state funding.
Recordpub.com reported the following:
- A 1.5-mill, five-year levy for Reed Memorial Library in Ravenna passed 2,965 to 2,592 according to complete but unofficial results from the Portage County Board of Elections;
- A 1.8-mill, continuing levy for Kent Free Library passed with a vote of 4,843 to 2,485;
- A 1-mill, five-year levy for the Portage County Library District lost 17,835 to 16,988.
In addition, the Kaubisch Memorial Public Library's won a 1.5-mill continuing tax levy, according to unofficial results from the Seneca, Hancock and Wood County election boards, reviewtimes.com reported. The vote was 2,596 in favor, or 76 percent, and 813 against, or 24 percent.
The Columbus Dispatch reported that libraries in London, Plain City, and Westerville won their levy votes, but libraries in Mount Sterling and Pataskala lost.
Results from Michigan
The Oakland Press reported the following results from Michigan:
- Hazel Park residents approved an additional 0.48 mills in perpetuity beginning next year to fund their library, with 831 voting yes and 328 voting no.
- Voters in Farmington and Farmington Hills approved renewing 0.5856 mills for the Farmington Community Library, which serves the two cities' 90,000 residents. With 23 of 29 precincts reporting, 11,512 voted yes, to 2,833 saying no.
In addition, voters approved a 10-year, 1-mill hike dedicated to funding operations of the Dearborn Public Library, according to the Detroit News.
"I'm really pleased that for the next 10 years, [the library has] some stability in our funding and can make more concrete plans because of that,". Director Maryanne Bartles told the News.
