OGDENSBURG -- The Ogdensburg Public Library Board of Trustees is asking voters to allow the library to be funded directly by the taxpayers in the Ogdensburg school district.

Their proposal would replace funds from the city’s budget with a budget line in the school district.

Libraries across the state have seen cuts in aid from the state, county and city, and with more cuts expected in 2011, the board decided a more reliable source of income was needed if the library is to continue serving Ogdensburg.

The library will be asking voters in the school district to approve collection of $527,245 on the May 17 ballot. This will take the library’s operational budget off the city’s tax base and spread the cost over a larger area, where many library users reside.

The result of a “yes” vote will be that a city homeowner with a $50,000 assessment will save $7.94.

The library says that in addition to forcing staff reductions and fewer open hours, cuts to the library budget have been so numerous and deep that regular government allocations no longer cover basic things such as building repairs, programs for children and adults, kids’ books, magazines, movies, and novels. They say they are now forced to pay for these things with donations, grants, and the funds raised by The Friends of the Library.

The library board’s statement continues:

For over a century, the Ogdensburg Public Library has served the community, always identifying emerging technologies and services and selecting the best to bolster local educational, recreational and economic life. Positioned to continue doing that, the library is also at the edge of a steep downward slope due to the mounting number of budget cuts. A highly productive agency that delivers great bang for the local tax buck, the library is at a crossroads. Instead of letting it quietly pass away, the Library Board believes now is the time to ask voters if you want us to be here for the next generation.

Many voters in the surrounding area have for years approved funds dedicated to library support in the same way, including the Heuvelton and Morristown Public Libraries. As cuts continue to trickle down from the state and the city, it becomes harder and harder for the library to maintain services. Now the library is facing another 10 percent cut in State funding for 2011 along with another 10% cut from the County. Without a “yes” vote in the May 17 school election, next year may see OPL slip below minimum State standards and risk the loss of ALL state funds.

Although this proposition appears on the ballot with the school budget, it is completely separate and will have no impact on the school budget. By State law, funds raised in this manner must be used to support the Library. Approval by the voters of the library proposition will insure a dedicated amount of money to operate the library and prevent further erosion of local library service. The amount proposed is the minimum needed just to maintain the library at 2010 operational levels while adding a very modest amount for books and other library materials. We will still be dependent upon the community’s continued generosity programs and grants for repairs to our historic century old building.

Despite budget cuts, the library has worked hard to minimize the impact of services. Demand for those services increased 7 percent in 2010, with 68,639 items being borrowed. Nearly 75,000 people visited the library, and 10,000 used the library’s computers. Many more take advantage of library’s wireless internet access using their own portable devices. Traffic increased on the library’s website (off site users) by 8 percent.

17 sessions of the summer reading program served a total of 528 children. Thanks to the generosity of the Friends of the Library, during the year the library held 111 children’s programs, nine programs for teens and 20 sessions for adults. Overall the programs saw a 12 percent increase in use compared to 2009.

Last year, 56 percent of City households reported that they had used the library in the past year, with 94 percent rating the availability of materials they wanted as “excellent” or “good.” More than half (52%) ranked the public library service as “excellent,” and 42.5 percent marked it as “good.”

The library has been serving the community since 1893, and is still housed in the original 1880 building that was extensively remodeled 90 years ago. The Children’s Library was added more than 30 years ago. The last significant capital investment was 13 years ago when the boilers were replaced.

In 2010, more than $50,000 in grants were obtained to cover part of the cost to replace the roof and fix other problems with the building’s exterior. Applications have been submitted to obtain grants for the additional money needed to complete this essential work as our regular budget provides few funds for this purpose. Also last year, a grant and no interest loan package was obtained for a lighting upgrade. This improved the brightness for reading while reducing electric consumption and the savings are paying off the loan.

The library is listed on both the State and National Historic Registers and is the cornerstone of the Library Park Historic District. The handsome heritage building greets visitors arriving by boat. Many do so in order to visit the Frederick Remington Museum that was for over 60 years a department of the library. Allowing the decline and potential failure of the library facility will create highly visible blight in the heart of Ogdensburg.

For further information, contact Ogdensburg Public Library Director Wayne Miller at 393-4325 or wmiller@ncls.org.