Portage County District Library is opening a new branch in Brimfield Saturday. The new library is funded by the district’s first local levy passed in 2021.
Portage County District Library operates five libraries in largely rural areas. The library district had previously operated a Brimfield branch, but dwindling state funding, the district's primary source of funding, forced the branch to shutter in 2011, leaving the southern half of the county with only one library, Director Jon Harris said.
"It's not just that we provide books and movies and e-materials, databases, computer access, hotspots," he said. "It's not just the things that we provide, it's the sense of space, the sense of community that a library provides that is something that's been missing out there."
The library district tried unsuccessfully for more than 30 years to pass a levy, he added.
“Up until a couple of years ago, we were funded solely by the state," Harris explained. "We had never gotten a local levy approved by voters. We had tried on numerous attempts and unfortunately came up short – 11 times.”
It was hard for the district to sell the new levy to voters, he said.
“If you’re pushing a new tax, there’s no way to put on a sign that it’s not a new tax," Harris said.
The fact that the library district had never been properly funded only made this worse, he added.
"For a good chunk of Portage County, there were voters that had never seen an adequately funded library in their community," he said.
That is until 2021 when the district’s 1 mill 10-year levy passed by only 55 votes.
“It drastically changed our ability to provide service for the county," Harris said.
With the new funding, one of the district's first goals was to establish a second branch in the southern half of Portage County, he said. The Brimfield Township Board of Trustees and residents have been incredibly supportive of the new branch, he said.
"It has been overwhelmingly positive," Harris said. "The closest thing to a negative I've heard is, 'It's about time.'"
“Up until a couple of years ago, we were funded solely by the state. We had never gotten a local levy approved by voters. We had tried on numerous attempts and unfortunately came up short – 11 times.”Jon Harris, director, Portage County District Library
The levy is also allowing the library to bring back the district’s bookmobile and expand hours of operation at its five other branches, he said. He’s excited to interact with patrons the district couldn’t serve before.
"We're looking forward to having that branch open," Harris said, "and we are looking forward to being a permanent fixture in that community going forward."
He hopes these expansions of service will prove to residents the library is worth their tax dollars.
"In 10 years when we have to look at a renewal, we get to go around and say, 'Hey, you passed this. Here is what you get,'" Harris said. "We are very much looking forward to showing the community all that we can provide with what they've been so generous to assist us in funding."
