FAQ

The current 5-year levy expires at the end of 2026. The Hudson Library and Historical Society board is asking voters to approve a levy to ensure long-term financial stability and continued service to the community for another five years. This levy will provide approximately 70% of the library’s revenue over that time period.

This is the first increase the library has asked for in 10 years; the levy that expires this year was a renewal that did not provide the library with any additional funds to keep up with rising costs due to inflation. 

Because the city government does not contribute to the Library’s funding, it plays a very limited role in the election. A levy proposal can be submitted to the Summit County Board of Elections only by an entity with taxing authority. The Library does not have taxing authority, so it must ask the city council to pass a resolution directing the Board of Elections to put the measure on the ballot.

The library has two main sources of funding. The first is the local levy, which will account for about 70% of operating funds over the next five years. The second has been the Ohio Public Library Fund (PLF).

This year, the Ohio legislature reduced the PLF and replaced it with a line item in the state budget, but at a much lower level. Columbus officials have warned libraries across the state that future budgets are likely to see significant cuts or the elimination of this line item. While the PLF was a guaranteed source, a line item can be changed or removed at any time.

The levy will cost a homeowner $78 annually per $100,000 of property value.

To put this into perspective, based on property tax breakdowns for Hudson, published by the city, the library's share is approximately four cents out of every dollar of property taxes.

No. Only institutions collecting something called “inside millage” benefit from reappraisals. The library does not collect inside mileage. (Inside millage is levied by governments without a vote of the public. It is allowed by the constitution but limited in amount and how it is used.)

The library levy is officially called “A renewal with an increase.” The main part is a renewal of the earlier levy, which was first approved in 2016. By law, the library cannot collect more on that portion than it did when the levy was originally approved. The “effective rate” is reduced to protect homeowners by keeping the cost from rising.

The library board structured the levy this way to benefit taxpayers.

The last time a library levy came before the voters was in 2021 at the height of the COVID crisis.  

Because of the economic uncertainty at that time, the Library Board chose to ask for just a renewal of the existing levy without seeking any increase, despite rising costs. The library has not received a funding increase since 2016.

Now, after 10 years with no funding increase, the board is requesting a 0.6-millage increase to cover 10 years of inflation, reduced state support, technology upgrades, and the costs of maintaining a 20-year-old facility. The levy is called a “2.9 mil renewal with a .6 mill increase.”

Meanwhile, state funding has decreased and is expected to be reduced even further, possibly disappearing altogether. The library levy lasts for five years and then expires, which is why requests for increases to cover inflation or expansion are normal. However, five years ago, due to economic uncertainty during COVID, the board renewed the levy without an increase. 

Losing over 70% of the library’s budget would be disastrous. If the state further cuts or eliminates its funding line item, the situation will worsen. Within a year, the library’s emergency reserve funds will run out, forcing closure.

Yes, like any responsible organization, the library maintains a reserve for emergencies. However, without passing a new levy, the Library would quickly exhaust the reserve.  The reserve fund would buy a little time, but the library would eventually have to cease operations.  

The library actively reviews, renegotiates, and reduces outside contract costs. Staff cross-train for additional responsibilities. The library seeks supplemental funding through fundraising, grants, donations, and collaborations. Volunteers are heavily involved. The library also reassesses which materials circulate and makes adjustments.

• Daily early literacy programs, resources, and support
• Circulating Sensory Kits and Sensory Saturday programs for children
• Monthly musical concerts
• Enhanced teen room gaming wall and a new driving simulator
• Circulating Memory Kits and monthly Memory Cafe (adult programming)
• Expanded historic walking tours
• Monthly outreach to preschools, senior facilities, and community organizations, plus traveling resource collections
• Cutting-edge video and audio production studio
• Welcome postcards sent to new residents
• Grant Foundation Center offering free resources and trained staff for community grant writing assistance
• Circulating "Library of Things" with the latest tech and resources, including cultural passes, Rokus with free streaming, STEM kits, Tonies, games, and more
• Over 1,500 educational and entertainment-based programs offered annually for all ages.
• Expanded digital, print, and multimedia resources for everyone. 
• History Camp for youths

Actually, library programs do not rely heavily on tax dollars. Many of the programs are funded by private endowments or donations from foundations or groups like the Friends of the Library. The staff and leadership of the library have actively worked with many donors to establish these endowments. Some are created to support programming in specific areas, such as music, early literacy, history, or science.

Over the years, authors have come to recognize the Hudson Library as the home to many well-educated and literate patrons, and as a result, authors now seek opportunities to introduce their latest books to the public here at our library.

The variety and richness of the programming are among the reasons the Hudson Library and Historical Society has received many awards over the years.