By Michael Howell
The Darby Community Public Library got a big boost from the voters in the recent election when they approved a 3 mill levy that will add about $30,000 to the library’s operations budget.
“I am delighted by the support the community has shown in standing behind our library,” said Director Wendy Campbell. “The mill levy will provide stable funding for basic library operations. The citizens and local businesses really stepped forward for their library and we are so grateful that they affirm the value of our library to the Darby community.”
Board of Trustees Chairperson Forest Hayes said, “I want to express thanks to the Friends of the Darby Library (FODL). Without them, it wouldn’t have happened.” Hayes said that the Board of Trustees was constrained by law from advocating politically for the levy.
“But the Friends could,” he said, “and I have no doubt that they were a large part of the success of this levy.”
FODL Director Denise Benson was ecstatic at the outcome of the levy.
“It’s more than a library,” said Benson. “We’ve become the hub of the community, a meeting place with a nice conference room, a computer room that is full most of the time, it’s a great service to the community.” She lauded the library’s collection of historical materials, reference books and periodicals as well as its convenient, user-friendly computer access to books in libraries across the state. There is the longstanding fly-tying station ready for use by the public and a “Techie Table” where challenges are issued to young library patrons to solve.
“It’s a nice place for anyone to come for refuge on a hot, smoky summer day when the fires are burning, and it’s a nice place to come in and get warm in the winter,” said Benson.
Benson said that the FODL volunteers were very dedicated to the cause and put in a lot of time posting signs and distributing educational information.
“We knocked on doors from Sula to Gold Creek Loop,” she said. “We visited businesses. We blanketed the area.”
According to Hayes, the Darby Community Public Library District has a five-member Board of Trustees, two of which are appointed by the County Commissioners, two by the Darby Town Council, and one jointly. The District was established in 1999 with a 3.5 mill levy. That has been adjusted over the years for inflation and is now at about 5 mills. The newly passed levy of 3 mills will add $30,000 to the library’s operating budget.
Prior to the passing of the latest levy, the annual budget was close to $100,000, with 55% coming from property taxes within the district, 30% from grants and donations, and 15% from state and local government. But over the years library patrons have increased in number, growing from 1,287 in 2009 to 2,163 in 2014. Materials borrowed from the library have jumped from 10,093 in 2010 to 16,243 in 2014.
Hayes said that an important gain in passage of the levy is that books, periodicals and audio books can now be purchased from a dedicated book budget and not rely on unpredictable donations. It will mean having some money on hand for repairs and maintenance on the structure. And it will help support the staff needed to serve an ever-growing number of users.
“While grants and donations have been and will continue to be a source of funding, they cannot be relied upon to support staffing and building maintenance such as roof or utility systems repairs and replacement,” said Hayes. He said the donations and grants will still be needed to support things such as reserves for catastrophic emergencies, additional books, and computer room updates and programming for children and adult reading programs.
“These community donations and bequests, no matter the amount, will continue to keep the library strong,” said Hayes.