St. Charles library officials hoping for 'win-win' on referendum

St. Charles Public Library officials know the most organized opposition to their November request for $35 million from taxpayers are the property tax bills that come in the mail. But with a lagging economy, they believe St. Charles needs a discount store-type option for information and socializing more than ever.

Library Board President Tory Haines said she expects she'll pay about $100 more a year to the library if voter's favor the Nov. 2 referendum.

"I am thrilled to death about it," Haines said of giving the library more money.

Haines said she works with single parents who are looking for affordable entertainment options for their children and inexpensive ways to find the books their kids need for school. In tough financial times, bookstores are not an option in household budgets, she said.

"I don't want to own every book that I want to look at," Haines said. "And we are not just a building that houses books. We support information gathering at all levels. We are a community gathering space."

But library officials also realize some people just won't buy into the idea that now is the time to expand while construction costs are low. There's a chance the community could reject the library's request entirely or approve only one of the referendum questions. If the entire request fails, Haines said officials will ask again, possibly in two years. If voters support a tax increase for construction, but not additional money to operate the building, then construction will proceed on a structure that may see the same reduced operations as Sugar Grove's library. If voters approve the request for more operating money, but not the new construction, the library would bank the new money and ask for construction cash in two years.

Library officials hope they don't have to deal with those scenarios, or the present condition where the need for more storage space is slowly causing the loss of room for patrons to actually be in the library and enjoy it.

"Nobody like to pay taxes, but services need to be maintained," said Sue Doebler, co-chair of the citizens' committee supporting the library expansion. "This project will create jobs, and those people will spend money in St. Charles. And you'll have a library that will last another 20 years. It's just such a win-win to me."