Cohoes Library District Initiative

www.cohoes.fundourlibraries.org

Facts and FiguresAbout the Library’s District Initiative

Creating Stable and Sustainable Funding


Where We Stand

• The Cohoes Public Library is presently chartered as a municipal library– Library is funded by the city through its

property tax base– The trustees are city residents who are

appointed by the Mayor and the Common Council


Where We Stand

• Because of the tax cap and many other competing financial priorities, the Library has lost over $120,000 in funding since 2009


Where We Stand• These cuts haven’t deterred the Library

from providing programs and services• In 2013

– Over 40,000 items were borrowed– Our public computers were used 13,635 times– Over 1,000 adults and children attended

programs– 2,400 reference questions were

answered


Where We Stand• The values of all

library programs and services in 2013 was $912,948

• For every tax dollar, you received a public service return on investment of $5.31


Where We Stand

• Stagnant funding or continued cuts to the Library will damage our ability to operate

• The Library can no longer do more with less

• The community has told us they want a stronger, more vibrant library


Impact of Budget Cuts

• Lost five morning hours per week, 260 per year– Time that was often used by seniors who

would often walk to the Library from downtown senior housing

• No regular Story Time – In 2008, there were 43 programs for babies

through 5 year olds. – There were none in 2014


Impact of Budget Cuts

• Fewer summer reading programs– In 2008, 28 programs with 338 children

participating– In 2014, 7 programs with 108 less children

reading and improving their skills• Our ability to buy new materials including

books and DVDs was hamstrung


What the Community Wants

• Fall of 2014, conducted a series of focus groups– More programs for seniors, teens and children– More community collaboration and outreach– More computer classes– Better staffing– Better and bigger collections– More hours


Library District Is The Answer• The Library’s Board of Trustees have decided

that becoming a library district that shares the school district’s boundaries– Called a School District Public Library in State Ed

law because of the shared boundaries• District will be established by a vote of school

district residents– Stable community-based funding

• Elect nine library trustees– Each petition to get on the ballot


Library District Is The Answer• Library will live within its own tax cap

based on the initial level of community-based funding voted upon by school district voters

• By law, the school district collects the library’s funding and turns it over to the library

• Library may put a new budget before the voters each year


Library District Is The Answer

• The Library will be completely independent of both the Cohoes School District and the City of Cohoes

• But, will have the funding it needs to create needed community collaborations with both


Community-Based Funding

• The Library will be asking school district voters to establish the library district with $490,000 in community-based funding– $1.20/$1,000 of assessed value

• Restores what the Library has lost and will enable us to strengthen and create new library programs and services

• Funding will put Library on solid financial footing


Community-Based Funding

• For a Cohoes home worth $150,000 (assessed at roughly $84,000), Library’s funding would be just over $97 a year

• $1.87 a week—less than a cup of coffee

• Just 2.3% of all the taxes you pay each year


Proposed District Revenue


Proposed District Expenses


If the District Is Approved

• Restore new materials budget for DVDs, books, periodicals, eBooks and audio books

• Increase hours—Open Tuesday until 8 p.m.– Total open hours: 50 per week


If the District Is Approved

• Appoint a Children’s Librarian to build local outreach, including school collaboration to support our children’s research and education projects

• Appoint a skilled technology staff that will offer digital literacy and technology training and support


If the District Is Not Approved

• Close on Saturdays• Drastic cuts to new materials

– No New Books, DVDs, etc.• Slash Children’s Summer Reading

Program by ¾– 8 programs will be cut to 2


If the District Is Not Approved

• Increase fines and fees for printing/faxing/ copying/scanning from 10% to 50%

• Stop all technology upgrades• Reduce the number of public access

computers by 2• Cut staff even further


Where and When

• The vote to create the Library District will be on the Tuesday, June 9th

• Voting will take place from Noon to 9 p.m. at your usual school district polling place

• Absentee ballots are available.


For More Information

• www.cohoes.fundourlibraries.org• Matthew Graff, Library Director

– 235-2570– [email protected]

• Carol Clingan, Library Board President– [email protected]

Cohoes Library District Initiative

Education

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