Frequently Asked Questions

There are just a few ways Libraries may be publicly funded in Pennsylvania. Outside of voluntary funding by local municipalities from the general fund, a dedicated property tax, based on the assessed value of taxable property, is the only other option. In the United States, nearly 90% of public Library funding comes from taxes. In Lancaster County, that number is currently much smaller.

The only legal way for the tax to go up is for the county commissioners to increase it or for it to go back on the ballot for an increase. The only way for the tax to go down is for it to be reduced by a ballot measure. This provides predictability for property owners and sustainability for Public Libraries.

This tax will be 0.55 mills on all taxable property in Lancaster County. One mill is equal to $1 for $1,000 in assessed property value. Therefore, this tax is asking for 55¢ per $1,000 of assessed property value. To calculate how much this tax will cost you, take your property’s assessed value (not the market value), multiply it by 0.55, and then divide by 1,000. For example, if your property is assessed at $350,000, the formula would be:

350,000 x 0.55 / 1,000 = 192.50                                       [your assessed value] x 0.55 / 1,000 = your tax payment

The legal opinion from our solicitor is that the millage rate will not be rebalanced due to the reassessment. Therefore, the millage rate of 0.55 will be applied to the 2027 property assessments for the purposes of the Library tax.

There are 60 municipalities and 17 school districts in Lancaster County. There are 14 Libraries, two branches, a bookmobile, and a combined system/district office. Comparing municipal services and Library services is not meaningful. 

The types of income that municipalities are legally permitted to receive include federal and county grant funds and local services taxes (LST) from those employed in their municipality. Local governments have additional funding sources other than the property tax income. Depending on the location, income may also include fees related to waste management, permit fees, transfer taxes, and more.

The way in which Public Libraries are permitted to generate and raise funds is limited. Public Libraries in Pennsylvania may only receive public funds through the general funds of local municipalities (how it currently happens now) or through a dedicated property tax (what the referendum proposes). There is no mandated requirement for municipalities to fund the Public Library that serves their residents. By law, Public Libraries may not charge for resident memberships nor for most services provided. 

There is little comparison to be made between Public Libraries and emergency services. Both are vital for a thriving community, but for different reasons. 

When people use emergency services, lives and property are at risk. Individuals and insurance companies are usually billed for services. When the police are called into service, there are often tickets and other fees resulting from the violation(s). On the other hand, when people use Public Library services, lives are rarely in immediate danger and the Library is not permitted to bill for usage. 

From a use perspective, in 2024 there were 455,299 fire, emergency medical service, and police dispatches in Lancaster County combined.* During that same year, Public Libraries in Lancaster County lent 4,062,970 items, provided 259,458 internet sessions, hosted 204,629 people during 7,656 programs, and answered 144,328 reported questions.**

*https://co.lancaster.pa.us/2966/Annual-Reports

**https://www.pa.gov/agencies/statelibrary/library-development/research-and-statistics

As Library advocates reviewed the amount of funding required to provide public Library services across the county, the mill rate of .55 was agreed upon. This funding will provide stable, sufficient, secure funding for both county-wide services coordinated by the Library System of Lancaster County (LSLC) and local services provided by the independent, public Libraries of Lancaster County.  

LSLC supports local Library services by providing technology infrastructure, helps prepare items for lending, and purchases online reference and reading collections for all public Library card holders in Lancaster County. 

At the local level, independent public Libraries strive to meet the unique needs of their residents. This includes purchasing best-selling books in print, audio, and electronic formats, funding educational programming, providing opportunities for literacy development for all ages, and supporting entrepreneurial success in local communities and beyond. 

This amount is expected to provide stable, sufficient, and secure funding for the public Libraries in Lancaster County. If Libraries were to request insufficient funding, Library workers would remain trapped in the current position of insufficient funding and, instead of investing energy into excellent Libraries, they would remain caught in a cycle of fundraising that distracts from other vital work. 

Instead, by seeking sufficient funding, Libraries will be fueled with stable funding to help sustain collections, services, and hours over time. This mill rate will fuel all Libraries in Lancaster County with sufficient funds to provide excellent programs and services and meet the demand of the local community. Secure funding will empower Libraries to develop visionary budgets, take care of deferred maintenance issues, and prepare for generations to come.

There have been accusations that supporters of this ballot measure cannot explain exactly how the money will be distributed or spent. Without knowing the amount of funding that will be available if the referendum passes, the Library System board is waiting for the measure to pass before finalizing and approving the formula for distribution. 

When the referendum passes, funds will be collected by Lancaster County. The Lancaster County Tax Collection Bureau will collect the taxes as they do with all county-wide taxes. They will retain a portion of the tax for their efforts before distributing the net proceeds to the Library System of Lancaster County (LSLC), the county’s designated district and system.

From this point, a portion of the funding will be taken off the top for LSLC’s budget. This increase in funding will restore draconian cuts that have been made over the past 15 years and fund the increased demands for technology expertise and coordinated programming. Next, county-wide services will be funded with dedicated dollars. These services will include on-demand downloadable eBooks, eAudioBooks, and streaming services. Restored access to museums and other services which were cut due to funding cuts is also expected. The remaining funds will be distributed among the Public Libraries in Lancaster County. This distribution may be through a newly proposed formula or one that is already used.

After the referendum passes, Public Libraries will be able to relinquish dependence on local government general funds. The county and local municipalities will be able to redirect those funds to areas of highest priority. If the entity is overfunded when their Public Library is removed from their general fund budget, they may decrease their mill rate.

The Lancaster County Republicans have asserted that the referendum does not focus on community priorities. This statement could be no farther from the truth. Every community benefits from lower crime rates, higher student performance, and higher property resale values. Statistics prove that stronger Libraries support these priorities.

Local communities strive to defend the environment. Borrowing materials reduces landfill waste.

Families and communities work to overcome the challenges they face. Public Libraries provide access to tools and resources that help people confront challenges and overcome them every day.

Citizens across Lancaster County are granted the “unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Public Libraries stand firm in the defense of these freedoms. Lancaster County Public Libraries strive to help people make their dreams come true and achieve their highest potential.

By voting yes for Libraries, you ensure local priorities are met.

People come to the Library for many different reasons. Some folks come to engage with their homeschool cohort while others come to print documents for insurance purposes. There are families who come to participate in 1,000 Books before Kindergarten and Story Times while others gather over a game or puzzle. There are also individuals and families who come to Libraries to fill their cooling or warming needs when the local shelters are closed. Public Library doors are open to serve everyone in the community with or without a Library card. Some Libraries have had to cut back on open hours and, if this funding measure does not pass, others will be forced to do the same.

The benefits of being a public Library cardholder are exponential to visiting without a card. People with a Library card can still check out books, audio books, and movies from the Library. Today, Libraries provide access to these items in electronic formats like eBooks and eAudio books. Documentaries can be streamed anywhere a cardholder has internet access and students can practice for their exams on their own device. Not only has the cost of print books escalated over the past years, so has the licensing costs for electronic resources. If Libraries do not receive stable, sufficient, secure funding, access to electronic resources and print materials will continue with long wait times. Some resources may be eliminated all together.

With referendum funding, the shared eBook and eAudio book collection will expand, making more titles available and shortening wait times for popular books. County-wide access to electronic magazines may be accessed in the same space where eBooks are found. Some resources that are currently only available in certain Libraries may be expanded with access for all.

At a local level, Libraries that have cut service hours, even days, may be able to restore service hours. Libraries may provide extended technology support for visitors, expand career building services, and provide access to specialized technology like soundproof audio/video conferencing spaces.

Studies show that communities with strong public Libraries have higher property values. Furthermore, high-quality public Libraries support high-quality K-12 educational programming in both public and private arenas. This support is extended by making life-long learning available and accessible to everyone in the community.

Here are two examples. Best selling books on Amazon are currently running around $19.95 or more per title. If a reader selected just one book per month this would add up to $239.40 (plus tax) over the course of the year. Investing about $200 through a dedicated Library tax provides much greater value, and nearly all the books one could possibly want.

Prefer to listen to your books? A basic audible subscription costs $8.99 per month for a single title that can be accessed only as long as the audible subscription is active. Over the course of a year, this subscription costs $107.88 and provides just 12 books for inspiration. With a Library card, a listener may download up to five books at a time, or 130 books over the course of the year. Audible’s highest lending plan provides access to a mere 24 books a year for $229.50 while a user may borrow up to 130 or more at no cost with their Library card.

Over 7,000 signatures were collected to place the question on the ballot for the November 3 election.

We will continue to work to spread information about the importance of stable, sufficient, and secure funding for Lancaster County Public Libraries, and how investment in Libraries is an investment in our communities. We are looking for help and support through either volunteering and/or donations. To express interest in volunteering, please email info@voteyes4libraries.org. You may also contribute to our efforts by donating online here or sending a check to PO Box 43, Elizabethtown, PA 17022.

The Office of Commonwealth Libraries collects and maintains annual reports from Public Libraries in Pennsylvania. Data from 2024 may be accessed by clicking here.