THE LIBRARY IS ON THE BALLOT THIS YEAR

The Claverack Free Library is seeking a $25,000 increase in local tax support to offset increased community usage. These funds will support more e-resources (books, movies, computers and WiFi access), increased salaries for dedicated staff and expanded programming for the library community room.

Why is the library seeking an increase in local tax support?

• Library visits have skyrocketed from 15,936 in 2022 to 24,477 in 2024, a 27% net increase since our last tax increase request.

• Yet, our library continues to receive the lowest level of local tax support of all the libraries in Columbia County. It receives the third lowest among the 66 libraries of the Mid-Hudson region.

How much will this increase impact my budget?

• Currently, the library tax is $10.86 per $100,000 of assessed valuation. That amount would increase by about $1.20 to $12.06 per $100,000.

• For example, a property assessed at $300,000 would see an annual increase in local library taxes of $3.60 per year or, an increase of $4.80 for a property with a $400,000 assessment.

• In other words, for most households, the library tax increase will be well under $10 or less than the cost of a single deli sandwich.

How do you calculate the value of the library’s services?

• With a tool called the Library Value Calculator. You can find it online at http://resources.mhls.info/library-value-calculator/.

What are the components of that value calculation?

• Each time you borrow a book, it has a value of $17, about the cost of a single paperback. If you borrow 5 books a week, the value is $85.

• An audio book has a value of almost $10 and movies $4.

• And inter-library loans are valued at $25 — saving you the time and cost of driving to Poughkeepsie or even further to find the materials you need.

• All of the above are free to patrons.

How does the community benefit from the library?

• The library is a community asset that provides over $800,000 annually in services to our service area — a return that is over three times the amount of our annual budget. In other words, for every dollar spent to operate the library in a single year, over $3 worth of free resources and services are made available to our community.

• We are a cultural institution that presents movies, live music and theater productions, meeting space for community groups, children’s programs, an annual book sale, book discussion groups, and educational resources for home-school families. There is no other resource like it.

Are taxes the only source of income for the library?

• Fortunately, our donors currently constitute a generous source of support. We also receive modest grant funding from the state. And we benefit from the equivalent of $50,000 or more annually in donated professional services such as financial services, property management and tech support.

• However, given the inflationary pressure that faces all families and institutions, we can no longer rely on our donors to carry such a large portion of our operations.

• State grant funds are insufficient to make up the shortfall.

• It is unrealistic to expect high-level professional services to continue to be donated by volunteers.

What is the cost of a library card?

• Nothing. Library cards are absolutely free to patrons. Every member of every household can be a library card holder and can access all the services we offer without charge.

BE SURE TO VOTE ON NOVEMBER 4. EARLY VOTING BEGINS OCTOBER 25.