Capital Area District Library Board Approves Library Improvement Plan Ballot Language

Vote Paves Way for $94 Million in Library Improvements

The Capital Area District Library (CADL) board approved ballot language for a $94 million Library Improvement Plan at their board meeting today. The board vote allows CADL to place a question on the August ballot asking Ingham County voters (with the exception of East Lansing, which operates its own library system) to approve a millage in the amount of 0.96 of a mill through the year 2029. With voter approval, the owner of a home with a market value of $100,000 would pay an additional $48 per year in property taxes.

“Library use is growing in leaps and bounds,” said Sue Hill, CADL Director. “Since 2000, circulation of materials has more than doubled to 2.4 million, and library use has increased by 125,000 per year to 1.6 million in 2007. The Library Improvement Plan is essential to CADL’s ability to meet the growing needs of the community.”

The Library Improvement Plan calls for new buildings in Holt (Delhi Township), Lansing, Mason, Okemos (Meridian Township) and Williamston. Renovations or expansions will be made to current buildings inAurelius, Dansville, the Foster Library (Lansing), Haslett (Meridian Township), Leslie, South Lansing, Stockbridge and Webberville.

The plan will also allow upgrades to library services and products. New or expanded services include additional children’s space, family-friendly environments, new technology, expanded meeting space, a 100-percent increase in computers, expanded seating, quiet study areas, small group discussion rooms, a more streamlined check-out, a 50-percent increase in books, and more entrepreneurial support.

“A vibrant library system plays a critical role in the quality of life of a community,” said Hill. “Libraries provide access to movies, music, audiobooks, premium internet content, and a wide variety of learning activities for all ages. Our current buildings are not designed to handle such a wide variety of needs.”

The Capital Area District Library was formed 10 years ago to provide public library service to Ingham County residents except East Lansing, which operates and maintains its own separate library. In addition to traditional book lending, CADL provides patrons with internet access, audiobooks, movies and music, lecture series, meeting space, special programming for kids and countless educational and recreational services for the community as a whole.