Referenda rewards.(1997 Public Library Referenda)

THIS IS THE 11th year that LJ has collected data on library referenda for public library buildings and the fourth year that data have been collected on operating levies. Overall, voters chose to support library service with an influx of needed cash. Although libraries didn't receive all the money requested in this year's referenda, they can be comforted in knowing that capital outlay and operating funds will continue to be available in the future.

The number of library referenda reported in FY97 decreased over FY96 for both capital outlay and operating funds. Operating levies went down from 75 to 67 this year, and capital campaigns dropped from 64 to 58 ballot measures. Still, both the operating levies and the capital campaigns are at or above their multiyear averages of 66.5 campaigns per year for operating levies and 49.5 campaigns for capital campaigns.

When a single ballot measure is specifically designed to raise funds for both operating and capital outlay purposes, the referendum is listed in both sections of this article. However, if an operating levy was general purpose and simply allowed some funds to be expended for capital outlay purposes, the referendum is reported in the operating levy section only.

Of the 58 referenda (see Table 1) held in search of capital funds between July 1, 1996 and June 30, 1997, 49 campaigns (84%) were successful, with only nine failing. As Table 2 shows, this is above the average success rate of 80% for the combined data collected for the last 11 years (1987-97).

 
TABLE 1. REFERENDA FOR PUBLIC LIBRARY BUILDINGS 1997 
 
                                                         Vote 
Community          Library                            For   Against 
 
ALASKA 
 
(*)Kenai           Kenai Community Library            49%      51% 
 
ARKANSAS 
 
Pine Bluff         Pine Bluff/Jefferson Cty. Lib.     56%      44% 
Pine Bluff         Pine Bluff/Jefferson Cty. Lib.     51%      49% 
 
CALIFORNIA 
 
Berkeley           Berkeley Public Library            67%      33% 
Oakland            Oakland Public Library             78%      22% 
(*) San Diego      San Diego cty. Authority           59%      41% 
 
COLORADO 
 
Castle Rock        Douglas PL District                52%      48% 
Fort Collins       Fort Collins Public Library        69%      31% 
 
CONNECTICUT 
 
Glastonbury        Welles-Turner Mem.Library          67%      33% 
Hebron             Douglas Library of Hebron          82%      18% 
Orange             Orange Public Library              67%      33% 
 
GEORGIA 
 
Brunswick          Brunswick-Glynn Reg. Lib.          67%      33% 
 
ILLINOIS 
 
Downers Grove      Downers Grove PL                   52%      48% 
Northbrook         Northbrook Public PL               54%      46% 
 
IOWA 
 
Norwalk            Norwalk Public Library             78%      22% 
Pella              Carnegie-Viersen PL                62%      38% 
 
KANSAS 
 
(*)Hays            Hays Public Library                19%      81% 
Topeka             Topeka & Shawnee Cty. PL           51%      49% 
 
LOUISIANA 
 
Franklin           St. Mary Parish Library            51%      49% 
(*)Houma           Terrebonne Parish Library          38%      62% 
Kinder             Allen Parish Libraries             84%      16% 
 
MASSACHUSETTS 
 
(*)Anonymous       Anonymous                          48%      52% 
Chelmsford         Chelmsford Public Library          62%      38% 
Lancaster          Lancaster Town Library             62%      38% 
(*)Newburyport     Newburyport Public Library         47%      53% 
Pembroke           Pembroke Public Library            72%      28% 
Quincy             Thomas Crane PL                   100%       0% 
Tisbury            Vineyard Haven PL                  59%      41% 
 
MICHIGAN 
 
Berkeley           Berkley Public Library             65%      35% 
 
MINNESOTA 
 
Willmar            Willmar Public Library             52%      48% 
 
NEVADA 
 
(*)Pahrump         Pahrump Community Library          47%      53% 
 
NEW HEMPSHIRE 
 
Chesterfield       Chesterfield Public Library        66%      34% 
Hopkinton          Hopkinton Town Library             76%      24% 
Lancaster          William d. Weeks Mem. Lib.         73%      27% 
(*)Merimack        Merrimack Public Library           35%      65% 
Northfield         Hall Memorial Library             100%       0% 
Plainfield         Philip Read Memorial Library       65%      35% 
Rye                Rye Public Library                 85%      15% 
Troy               Gay-Kimball Public Library         51%      49% 
Greenport          Floyd Memorial Library             77%      23% 
 
NEW YORK 
 
Massapequa         Massapequa Public Library          64%      36% 
Northville         Northville Public Library          60%      40% 
Rochester          Brighton Memorial Library          71%      29% 
Southhampton       Rogers Memorial Library            72%      28% 
Suffern            Suffern Free Library               76%      24% 
 
OHIO 
 
(*)Circleville     Pickaway County PL                 46%      54% 
Westlake           Westlake Porter PL                 56%      44% 
 
OKLAHOMA 
 
Edmond             Metropolitan Library System        62%      38% 
 
RHODE ISLAND 
 
North Kingstown    North Kingstown Free Library       85%      15% 
 
TEXAS 
 
Garland …