What’s at Stake for Our Libraries this November

This November, we are at work in 10 towns, cities, and counties as they campaign for critically needed local library funding. Over $136 million dollars in stable operating funds and building projects is at stake for these libraries. We are also proud to be working closely with our partners at the Colorado Association of Libraries and the Utah Library Association as they campaign on two important statewide ballot measures for new school funding. If they pass, both will directly benefit school libraries in both states.

This is the core of our work as the only political action committee for libraries. We always work for and with our libraries and partners for free and pro-bono. We do that because our vision as an organization is that any library funding measure anywhere should matter to every library everywhere. For each of the library communities we work with, all of our services are provided pro-bono and for free. We do this with the support of our individual and corporate donors in order to work with each library based on the best practices for library campaigns and not based on what we need them to do in order to make a living. Our pro-bono work extends 100% to the local Yes campaign committee, too.

DONATE NOW

All of our work for libraries on the ballot is pro-bono to the libraries thanks to your support.
It only take a $1, $3, or $5 monthly donation to make it happen.

It is a great pleasure to visit these communities, to get to know their towns and counties, and support their teams.  On the Informational Communications Campaign side, it is the talented staff and the dedicated boards who set the agenda and bring their plans to their communities. With the Yes Committees, we get to meet and work with amazing and engaged local volunteers who have a vision for their communities with a library at the center. We are proud to have invested in these November 2018 library campaigns:

Anythink Libraries (CO)
Anythink Libraries is asking to increase funding by 2.2 mill, an additional $11.6 million in operating funds for the library in 2019. If passed, the proposal would increase programs for kids and families, expand access to technology classes and resources, expand hours at many locations, and build additional facilities to keep up with the tremendous growth in Adams County.

Clearview Library District (CO)
The Clearview Library District is asking voters’ approval for a 2.585 mill levy increase ($23 million) to pay for the construction and operation of a larger, more central library facility that better serves the growing communities of Windsor, Severance, and West Greeley.

Kansas City (MO) Public Library
On November 6, KCPL is asking voters to authorize an 8-cent increase in the property tax based operating levy – the first such request in 22 years – to maintain and modernize facilities and sustain and enhance essential services.

Peter White Library (Marquette, MI.)
The Peter White Library will be on the ballot in 5 municipalities this November 6th for new and extended operating funds for this anchor UP library.

Pine River Library (Bayfield, CO.)
Pine River Public Library District is asking voters to approve that taxes be increased $454,185 annually by increasing the mill levy from 2.5 to 4.5 mills in order to maintain services.

Rochester (IL) Public Library
Rochester Public Library District is asking residents within the Sangamon and Christian County library district to vote on a tax rate increase for an approximately $3.2 million dollar bond which will expand and renovate the library to address increased use of the library and cover operational costs.

Sequim Library, Olympic (WA) Library System
The North Olympic Library System has two propositions for the town of Sequim about the future of their library. Proposition No. 1 creates the Sequim Library Capital Facility Area tax district. Proposition No. 2 finances the project by approving bonds and tax levies for a $12.4 million expansion project.

Spokane (WA) Public Library
The Spokane Public Library and the School District are running two concurrent  bond measures that would significantly expand and renovate several library branches as well as build new joint-use facilities with between the library and the schools. The total tax increase would 19 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value, and would raise about $77 million across both the school and library projects.

Vineland (NJ) Public Library
The Vineland Public Library suffered an unbudgeted and unexpected 37% cut this year to their operating funds this year. This ballot measure, the first of its kind in New Jersey, will close that budget gap and ensure the library remains open in 2019. Currently, services are significantly diminished and staff is taking furlough days. The issue before voters will be whether to support a tax rate increase from 3.3 cents per $100 of assessed property valuation to 5 cents per $100. That increase would bring in another $687,767 per year for the library, which for 2018 will collect about $1.375 million from taxation.

Ypsilanti (MI) District Library
The Ypsilanti District Library is requesting 0.7 mills of operating funds for 12 years so the library district can prevent cuts to services, increase popular materials, upgrade outdated computers and technology, pay for needed building maintenance and improvements to aging Library facilities, use money from YDL’s fund balance (savings) to construct a permanent Library building on Harris Rd. in Superior Township and operate this third full-service facility with District-wide benefits, and replenish the District’s fund balance.

Amendment 73 in Colorado
A73 is a statewide income tax measure that would provide much needed funding for education in districts across the state. EveryLibrary is supporting the Colorado ASsociation of Libraries as they campaign across the state.

Question #1 in Utah
Question #1 is a statewide advisory ballot measure to compel the legislature to establish a new gas tax, of which 70% will go to fund education – including school libraries – and 30% to roads and bridges. EveryLibrary is supporting the Utah Library Association in their statewide outreach.

Our donors make all our work possible. Already this year we have helped the library in Ferguson, MO. secure new funding, the Simon Fairfield Library in Douglas, MA. avoid closing, and the library in St. Clairsville, OH win its first local levy ever. Since 2013 and our first campaign in Spokane, WA. we have helped secure over $265 million dollars annually – that’s $1.6 billion dollars total – in stable tax money for libraries. To date, the return on that investment is over $1.6 billion dollars in stable tax funding for our winning libraries.We are not just hoping for wins this November.

We have worked closely with these library teams to make them happen. If you believe like we do that any library ballot measure anywhere should matter to every library everywhere, take the bold step and donate to support our pro-bono work today. And if you know of a library that needs the help, please refer us.