Library Millage - Vote August 3, 2010
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How the Library is Funded
The Library is funded by a millage. That
means our revenue is determined by
property values, which will have decreased
20% from 2008-2012.
The Flint Public Library has diligently managed its budget. We have slashed expenses and staffing, while maintaining outstanding programming and services.
However, a 20% decrease in revenue would mean drastic changes to the Library as we know it. The 1.4 mill Library Millage Proposal which is on the August 3, 2010 ballot is the absolute minimum necessary to keep our essential programs and services. Two-thirds of it (.9 of 1.4) is a renewal of the existing millage.
What will it cost me?
The average Flint home is valued at $46,000.
For the average homeowner, this millage
would be a $19 renewal and an $11 increase.
What will I get?
How much would you spend on a book
or CD? How about a night at the movies?
An extra $11 per year will allow the library
to continue providing more than 420,000
books, CDs and movies, along with Wi-Fi and downloadable e-books,
all at your fingertips!
Frequently asked questions about the millage proposal »
Why the Library is so important
Flint is transitioning from a factory town to a college town. We’re becoming a place
where new employers will expect - and
require - an educated workforce. The
Library is essential to that transition.
One-third of Library users are children and teens. The Library reinforces their education, expands their horizons, and instills a love of life-long learning. It is a resource for personal renewal and reinvention that equips all of us for a changing economy.
The Library is so much more than books. It is a refuge where people come together for strength, and encouragement. It is a place for discussion, exploration and entertainment. The Flint community has worked for 160 years to build a nationally-recognized treasure that is essential to our community. The Library is our passport to economic renewal, open and available to everyone.
Community Support
Flint voters have a long history of supporting their library. With that strong support, FPL provides a rich variety of services to library users, which are even more necessary in these tough economic times.
Library Services
- The Library’s collection includes 426,000 items – books, music, audio and video, online materials, and (soon!) downloadable books and movies.
- The Children’s collection of almost 100,000 items provides essential support for children’s early literacy, school work and pleasure reading.
- Librarians answer over 148,000 reference questions each year and make available to the public 96,000 items of reference materials, as well as dozens of online databases. Flint Public Library is the only public research library in the area.
- FPL provides space for community groups to meet.
- The Flint Public Library hosts the Greater Flint Afro-American Hall of Fame, both in-house and online.
- FPL archives the history of Flint, keeping and preserving records of local people, organizations and even governments. Many items in the collection are only available at the Flint Public Library.
- The Library houses the second largest open-stack collection of genealogy material in the state of Michigan; volunteers from the Flint Genealogical Society staff the genealogy research area daily
- FPL offers high speed internet access utilized by many for research, job searches, preparing resumes, and email.
- The Flint Public Library provides more than 166,000 computer sessions each year and free computer classes.
- Librarians provide help and coaching to patrons using the computer- a service not available at many other computing centers
- Each year, over 89,000 adults and children attend library programs: tax preparation assistance, story time for young children, live music performances, family-oriented programs and lectures from nationally-renowned speakers, authors and poets.
Library Users
Flint Public Library’s active borrowers reflect the demographics of Flint. FPL is used by all segments of the community, especially young people, and all geographic areas of the city.
- 38% of Flint residents of all ages are active borrowers at FPL.
- Over 400,000 visitors come to the Library each year; that’s more than 1100 a day at the Main branch.
- Of Flint city active borrowers, 2/3 are age 35 and younger
- In 2009, 125 school classes visited the Library, and a total of 28,000 people attended children’s programs.
Read our patrons' "Library Love Stories" »
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