Central Michigan Life

Issue date: 7/16/08 Section: News

"One of the first things we did when we got here was come to the library and get our cards and sign the girls up for the summer reading program," says Mount Pleasant resident Heidi Reed as she helps her daughters Andrea Reed,8, left and Hayley, 6, right, read at the Chippewa River District Library Monday afternoon. [Click to enlarge]

The library, located at 301 University Ave., is asking voters to approve a millage renewal, proposed by the Chippewa District Library system, in order cover operating costs.


The Chippewa District Library system includes Faith Johnston Memorial Library in Rosebush, Rollan Township Library in Blanchard, Weidman Public Library in Weidman, Coe Township Library in Shepherd and Fremont Township Branch Library in Winn.

In order to stay open the library needs the same 1.75 mills for 10 years, which is on the ballot in the Aug. 5 election. The current rate was originally set in December 1998 and is scheduled to expire at the end of the year.

Library Director Lise Mitchell said the millage accounts for 70 percent of the library's funding.

"It brings in about $1.4 million," she said. "Without it, the library would simply run out of funds."

The millage would cost an average of $105 per year, about $2 a week, for someone owning a home with a $120,000 market value.

Mitchell said the library currently has enough funding to last until March 2009.

"Without this millage, the Chippewa River District Library system will lose up to another 17 percent of additional funding, leaving only 13 percent of its current budget for operations," she said. "It's simply not enough to keep the library going."

Without proper operating funds, the community would lose access to a number of resources including books, reference materials, computer classes and all library programs Mitchell said.

The library currently has a budget of $2 million per year.

However, Mitchell said the community gets back around $9 million through programs and book circulation.

Mary Barker, head of the library's YES committee, said the Faith Johnston Memorial Library in Rosebush would also be forced to close its doors.

The library serves a shared Web-based catalog that would be shut down, affecting the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe's library and libraries in Clare and Coleman, she said.

"The effect is so great it would be felt throughout the county," Barker said.

She said the library is an asset for the whole community.

Registered voters within the library district are eligible to vote for the millage. Polling places can be found at Mich.gov/vote.


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