This document provides information about the Dunkirk Library's proposal to become a library district in order to secure stable funding. It summarizes the library's declining funding in recent years, which has led to cuts in hours, staffing, and services. The library is proposing a vote to establish a library district funded at $350,000 annually through a small tax increase. This would restore lost funding and programs while representing a minor portion of residents' overall taxes. The benefits and consequences of approval or denial of the proposal are outlined.

1. FACTS AND FIGURES
ABOUT THE LIBRARY’S DISTRICT INITIATIVE
Creating Stable and
Sustainable Funding

2. www.dunkirk.fundourlibraries.org
 The Dunkirk Library is presently chartered as
an association library
 Library is a free-standing not for profit partially
funded by the city and town through annual
appropriations
 The board of trustees, like all other not for profits, is
self-perpetuating with a nomination process that is
board driven.
WHERE WE STAND

3. www.dunkirk.fundourlibraries.org
WHERE WE STAND
 Because of the tax cap and many other
competing financial priorities, the Library has
lost over 25% of its funding since 2011
 $10,000 in
funding from
the town has
been flat
since 1998

4. www.dunkirk.fundourlibraries.org
 These cuts have negatively impacted the
Library. In the last four years:
 208 open hours were cut per year, including
Saturday and evening hours
 Significant reductions to computer classes as well
as no reliable patron assistance
 Curtailed new materials purchases and outreach
WHERE WE STAND

5. www.dunkirk.fundourlibraries.org
WHERE WE STAND
 Our staff has been severely depleted
 Forced to cut full time computer staff in Feb. 2013
 More times than not, staff members work 2 or more
hours alone with little time for patron one-on-one help
 Maintenance staff hours have also been cut
 Funding has gone down while costs have gone up
 Rise in minimum wage
 Increased costs of technology, books and periodicals,
utilities and building maintenance

6. www.dunkirk.fundourlibraries.org
DUNKIRK NEEDS OUR LIBRARY
 In 2014
 Over 53,000 people came to the Library
 There are 13,881 people in our service area
 Over 41,000 items were circulated, including
downloadable eBooks
 4,479 reference questions were answered
 Close to 6,500 people attended Library programs
 Our public computers were used 17,381 times

7. www.dunkirk.fundourlibraries.org
DUNKIRK NEEDS OUR LIBRARY
 The values of all library
programs and services in
2014 was $914,413.50
 For every tax dollar
invested in the library,
you received a public
service return on
investment of $6.97

8. www.dunkirk.fundourlibraries.org
DUNKIRK NEEDS OUR LIBRARY
 Stagnant funding or continued cuts to the
Library will further damage our ability to
operate
 Risk decreasing hours to below state standards
 The community has told us they want a
stronger, more vibrant library

9. www.dunkirk.fundourlibraries.org
LIBRARY DISTRICT IS THE ANSWER
 The Library’s Board of Trustees have decided to
become a library district that shares the school
district’s boundaries
 Called a School District Public Library in State Ed law
because of the shared boundaries
 District will be established by a vote of school
district residents with a base level of funding
 Provide stable library support
 School district voters elect 5 library trustees
 Each petitions to get on the ballot

10. www.dunkirk.fundourlibraries.org
LIBRARY DISTRICT IS THE ANSWER
 Library will live within its own tax cap based on
the initial level of community-based funding
voted upon by school district voters
 By law, the school district collects the library’s
funding and turns it over to the library
 Library may put a new budget before the voters
each year

11. www.dunkirk.fundourlibraries.org
LIBRARY DISTRICT IS THE ANSWER
 The Library will be completely independent of
both the Dunkirk City School District, the City of
Dunkirk and the Town of Dunkirk
 But, will have the funding it needs to create
needed community collaborations with both

12. www.dunkirk.fundourlibraries.org
COMMUNITY BASED FUNDING
 The Library will be asking school district
voters to establish the library district with
$350,000 in community-based funding
 Restores what the Library has lost and will
enable us to strengthen and create new
library programs and services
 Funding will put Library on solid financial
footing and provide sustainability

13. www.dunkirk.fundourlibraries.org
OUR NUMBERS TODAY

14. www.dunkirk.fundourlibraries.org
 The vast majority
of funding comes
from the City
 Lost 25% since
2011
 Raise some
funding
 Significantly
depleted our
reserve to
balance budget
OUR NUMBERS TODAY

15. www.dunkirk.fundourlibraries.org
COMMUNITY-BASED FUNDING
 Our community-based funding will amount to
 83 cents per $1,000 of assessed value in the City of
Dunkirk
 95 cents per $1,000 of assessed value in the Town
of Dunkirk
 $1.03 cents per $1,000 of assessed value in the
Town of Sheridan
 For a home assessed at $50,000, you would
pay $41.50 annually for the Library
 80 cents per week—way less than the cost of a cup
of coffee per week

16. www.dunkirk.fundourlibraries.org
PERCENTAGE OF ALL CITY TAXES PAID
 For school district
residents who live
in the city, the
Library’s
community based
funding would
amount to 1.4% of
all your taxes

17. www.dunkirk.fundourlibraries.org
PERCENTAGE OF ALL TOWN TAXES PAID
 For school district
residents who
live in the town,
the Library’s
community based
funding would
amount to 2.6%
of all your taxes

18. www.dunkirk.fundourlibraries.org
IF THE DISTRICT IS APPROVED
 Increase open hours
 Create new and enhance existing children’s
programming
 Increase adult programming including
computer classes, a Book Club and a Crafting
Club
 Increase new materials budget for books,
magazines, DVDs, audio books

19. www.dunkirk.fundourlibraries.org
IF THE DISTRICT IS APPROVED
 Purchase new technology including desktop
computers and laptops/tablets for in-library
borrowing
 Enhance staffing to develop computer classes,
community outreach and other new
programming and services
 Improve storage and circulation of audio books
and DVDs

20. www.dunkirk.fundourlibraries.org
IF THE DISTRICT IS NOT APPROVED
 Slash open hours to the minimum allowed by
law
 Close on Saturdays
 Cut new materials budget over 30%
 Fewer new books and new DVDs
 Curtail children’s programming
 Story Time
 Summer Reading Program

21. www.dunkirk.fundourlibraries.org
IF THE DISTRICT IS NOT APPROVED
 Eliminate computer classes
 Cut technology upgrades and maintenance
forcing patrons to use aging computers,
software and facilities
 More staff cuts
 Eliminate videoconferencing capability

22. www.dunkirk.fundourlibraries.org
WHERE AND WHEN
 The vote to create the Library District will be on
the Tuesday, June 23rd
 Voting will take place from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. at
the Library
 Absentee ballots are available.

23. www.dunkirk.fundourlibraries.org
FOR MORE INFORMATION
 www.dunkirk.fundourlibraries.org
 Janice Dekoff, Library Director
 366-2511
 JDekoff@cclslib.org