REMEMBER YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY DURING THE AUGUST 3, 2010 MILLAGE
Facts about the upcoming millage
The Flat River Communtiy Library is one of seven libraries in Montcalm County seeking a countywide, 10-year replacement of .4407 mill & an additional .0593 mill to return libraries to the originally approved .5 millage.
This millage is a replacement of the 20-year .5 mill approved by the citizens of Montcalm County in 1990. There is no increase in the rate being levied. That's 30 years at the same modest millage rate! What a deal!
The Flat River Community Library will use these funds to maintain the high level of service to the residents of our community.
Facts about the Flat River Community Library over the past 20 years
Over the past 20 years, the Flat River Community Library has used its portion of the .5 mill to grow, expand and offer patrons many needed and well-used services.
The library has books for children, teens and adults, as well as newspapers, magazines, large print books, books-on-CD and tape, DVDs &VHS tapes, a genealogy and local history collection, microfilm of the Daily News, and downloadable books.
The library is open 60 hours each week and offers preschool story hours, a large summer reading program and many special programs for adults, children and teens. Our Stafford Room is available for non-profit commuity group use.
The library is equipped with eleven public access computers to use for educational purposes, research or recreation, and word processing (free of charge). Wi-Fi access, four children's computers with games, and a teen computer with practice ACT and SAT tests and Rosetta Stone for learning Spanish are also available. Four laptops are used for online testing and training for patrons.
Flat River Community Library statistics
~In 2009 the library had:
133 Magazine Subscriptions
598 Electronic (downloadable) books (Checkouts: 5,074; Holds: 1,808)
73,000 Books on our shelves
2,400 Books on tape & CD
3,300 DVDs & VHS tapes
167 Programs offered (Attendance: 5,341)
11 Public access computers (used 24,263 times by patrons)
3 Automated card catalogs
~Items loaned to patrons: 179,843
~Reference questions answered: 6,716
~Active registered borrowers: 10,916
PLEASE REMEMBER...
Libraries are part of the solution when a community is struggling economically. Libraries provide, at no cost, books and material to inspire children and develop a love of reading and literature. From free access to online resources for families, job seekers and those pursuing an education, libraries provide a wealth of valuable information and support lifelong learning.
Libraries are America's great information equalizers; the only place people of all ages and backgrounds can find and freely use such a diversity of resources, along with the expert guidance of librarians.
As more and more Americans look for employment, libraries are helping level the playing field for job seekers. Only 44% of the top 100 U.S. retailers accept in-store applications. Free access to the Internet allows job seekers to apply all over the state, country or the world from their local library. Reference staff is available to help with resumes and unemployment sites.
When the economy is down, library use is always up. Unfortunately, at the same time, state budgets are reducing funding when it is most needed.
How does the countywide millage help the Flat River Community Library?
The countywide millage provides nearly 1/3 of the Flat River Community Library's total operating budget. State funding to libraries has been cut more than 40% in the last years and penal fines in Montcalm County, which support libraries, decreased by $37,375.00 in the 2008-09 fiscal year. The countywide millage funds are vital because of continuously increasing costs.
Without this millage:
~the library may have to cut library hours and staff; reducing library hours will limit access to materials and computers
~the new materials budget may be substantially reduced
~the library may not be able to update or replace technology
~story hour and programming for all ages may be reduced
~replacement of damaged material may end
Without this millage, the library may not be able to continue to offer the level of service currently provided, nor be able to increase services as the needs of the community grow and change.
What the ballot will say (an excerpt)
"Shall the tax limitation...be increased on all taxable real and tangible personal property in the County of Montcalm, in an amount not to exceed .5 mill...for a period of 10 years, 2010 to 2019 inclusive, of which .4407 mill is renewal of the millage rate that expired in 2009 and .0593 mill is new additional millage to restore the full amount of the previously authorized millage, for the purpose of providing funds for all library purposes authorized by law..."