STRONG LIBRARY. STRONG COMMUNITY.
The Toledo Lucas County Public Library will be on the ballot this November, asking Lucas County residents to continue their support of our libraries under Issue 11. The Library’s tax levy is renewed once every five years and accounts for over half of the operational budget. This levy is not a new tax and is vital for the Library to continue offering outstanding services and programs and access to millions of materials. The Library sees nearly three million visits a year at its 20 locations, plus Mobile Services, and every day, library staff strives to ensure that needs of our community are met.
Today, I am writing La Prensa readers as a volunteer for the Library’s Levy Campaign. But, also being a librarian for the Toledo Lucas County Public Library, I see first-hand the incredible impact the Library has on the county and its residents. We of course assist patrons in finding books and other materials, but we also help patrons navigate resources, apply for jobs and resume writing, provide computer and device assistance, and more. Throughout the pandemic, we helped hundreds of our most vulnerable community members sign up to receive their COVID-19 vaccine and distributed tens of thousands of COVID-19 tests. At the core of the Library’s values and goals, is service to the community and our community members.
Through our strategic goals and priorities, the Library has dedicated itself to helping students succeed and adults expand their horizons, providing access to technology and technology skill development, and serving as a community hub. As a result, the Library offers thousands of free classes and programs each year to meet these goals. This includes storytimes to foster literacy, tutoring for students, computer classes for adults, spaces for community groups to meet, GED classes, health screenings, small business assistance, and homebound delivery services to name a few.
While we seek continued support from the community, we ask the community to continue their partnership with us. We are doing amazing work because of the expectations and needs of our patrons, collaboration with our community partners, and everyone’s united goal of making Lucas County a great place to live. Let us continue to build strong communities together by voting for Issue 11.