Facts about the Countywide Library Proposal

Clarification about a countywide library

submitted by The County Library Study Committee:

1. This coming ballot is to express opinion only. No town will be forced to join this system.
2. Logan city is not planning to build a new library building — thus the recent extensive remodeling and expansion of the Logan Library into the full building once shared with City Hall.
3. No current library personnel would lose jobs. They would simply work for the county instead of the town.
4. Cities/towns owning current library buildings could retain ownership and still be part of the countywide system through an interlocal agreement. The county would pay all operating expenses for that branch library.
5. A County Library Board would be composed of representatives from each area joining the system. Local councils/friends of the library would exist. The county would administrate.
6. The immediate benefit of a countywide system would be a combined collection of 436,435 books/media materials available to all members of the system. Current collections available to town members are: Logan, 181,559; Hyrum 57,662; North Logan 54,401; Newton, 32,979; Smithfield 32,912; Lewiston, 31,911; Richmond 23,279; Bookmobile/Providence/River Heights, 21,732. The Bookmobile would continue to operate in areas which support the countywide system, but have no branch library nearby.
7. The state of Utah caps tax levies for libraries at 0.001 of taxable value. The proposed tax levy listed on the ballot is 0.000726. On the average valley home valued at $192,661 (taxable value $105,936), a county library tax would be $77.00 per year ($6.42 per month). This tax would cover the “start-up” expenses (uniform computer network, centralized purchasing, processing, etc.) and would likely diminish in the future.
8. A valid comparison of an eventual tax levy for Cache County is Washington County. A county system for many years, has a 2010 tax levy of 0.000280, or on a home valued at $192,661, just $2.47 per month.
9. It’s clear that a county-wide library system would be less expensive as more people share the service. Presently, we successfully share other services to the financial benefit of all towns, e.g.: emergency medical services, recycling, refuse collection, sanitation, and the Cache Valley Transit District.
10. The vast majority of Utahns have countywide library systems. County tax levies are all lower than individual city/town levies.
11. Despite technological advances, home computers, etc., library usage continues to grow nationally, as well as locally.