Library board members are seeking an increase because they said state funding is expected to decrease by 20 percent in the next 10 years. The library has not asked for additional money in the last 10 years. The cost will result in about $2.60 per month more in taxes per $100,000 of property valuation.
The levy provides half of the money to operate the countywide library system, including locations in Beavercreek, Bellbrook, Cedarville, Fairborn, Jamestown, Xenia and Yellow Springs.
State funding for the library has been cut by more than $6 million since 2008, officials said. Supporters said the levy will help pay for early literacy programs for children as well as continue service to homebound, elderly, and disabled residents. The levy will also fund new books, audiovisual material and reference materials.
Library Director Karl Colón said the library is doing more than circulating materials.
“In 2009 we introduced online circulation. That year we checked out 9,000 items,” Colón said. “Since then, online checkout has grown fourteen fold, to over 136,000 checkouts. Meanwhile, traditional circulation remains steady.”
For more information about the levy, visit stronglibraries.com, the library’s informational website.
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