The Van Wert County Courthouse

Thursday, Mar. 28, 2024

Brumback Library has renewal levy info

Brumback Library information

The Brumback Library in Van Wert is placing a half-mill, five-year renewal levy on the November general election ballot.

Brumback Library is one of 262 libraries across the nation honored by Library Journal as a Star Library. (Dave Mosier/Van Wert independent)
This photo shows a portion of the interior of Brumback Library in Van Wert. The library is seeking renewal of a half-mill, five-year operating levy in November. (VW independent file photo)

The levy, which helps make up for state funding cuts and freezes over the past 14 years, provides a vital part of the library’s funding and was part of Brumback’s original operating agreement in 1898. The tax was collected from 1901 through 1934, but was suspended initially because of the Great Depression. It remained suspended for 71 years until 2005, when a new levy was placed on the ballot to offset decreased state funding through the Ohio Public Library Fund, which provides 82 percent of the library’s operating revenues.

Voters in 2005 provided a 74-percent passage rate, and renewed the levy in 2010 by 83 percent.

“To honor our past, to recognize our present needs, and to plan for the future, it is imperative that the library levy be approved,” said Brumback Director John Carr, who has taken voluntary wage cuts and freezes to maintain library services and personnel (click here for the library’s tax issue information).

POSTED: 10/06/15 at 7:35 am. FILED UNDER: News