MANSFIELD — Mrs. E.O. Huggins, Mary Mitchell and Helen Purdy would not recognize today’s Mansfield/Richland County Public Library.
But there is no doubt the trio would be thrilled with what they helped launch in 1887 when they met with 47 other women to lay the groundwork for a free public library in Mansfield.
That dream continues to grow today with a library system that has grown to nine locations around the county.
Today’s MRCPL offers a myriad of offerings far beyond just the books sought when head Librarian Martha Mercer went to New York and was granted $35,000 from Andrew Carnegie to build a library in Mansfield.
The system does come with a cost, a public tax local residents first accepted in 1892.
The MRCPL has a property tax renewal request on the May 2 primary ballot, asking Richland County voters to approve a 10-year, 3.9 mill levy that generates about $7 million annually.
It costs the homeowner of a $100,000 home about $117.84 each year, according to county Auditor Pat Dropsey.
A new tool on the Richland County Auditor’s website allows voters more clarity about what this property tax would cost if approved.
A levy estimated tool allows property owners to search for their residence and then click on “levies” on the top, right-hand side of the page.
Visit the auditor’s website at https://www.richlandcountyoh.gov/departments/auditor
As a renewal, the levy will not cost property owners any additional money. Last approved by 52 percent of voters in 2012, the levy accounts for 61 percent of the system’s annual operating revenue.
Chris May, the library director, said the women who helped launch the original library more than a century ago would be amazed at what the system has become.
“In my discussions with people about the levy, I talk about how the library was once very transactional.
“But it’s now more about creating experiences for people,” he said, “including programming, craft activities, 3-D printing programs. Transactions are still a big part of what we do, but it’s so much more today.
“We are working to improve peoples’ lives,” he said, citing things such as the library’s Career Online High School program and the ability to “check out” power tools for free.
“Some power tools are very expensive to purchase and someone may need it only one time,” he said. “They can come in, check out the tool for the weekend and complete their project.”
May said he has seen the public library business change even during his 21 years in the business.
“Even our summer reading program has changed,” he said. “In the old days, a child read five books and got a ticket for a chance to win a prize. Now it’s also about programming and finding ways to help keep kids busy.”
When May met with county commissioners in January to seek approval to put the levy on the ballot, he said seeking the renewal was a positive thing.
“We are simply asking for a straight up renewal of this levy,” May said at the time. “That’s something I’m very proud of, that our board is very proud of, that we’ve been very responsible with our funds over those 10 years and we can come to the taxpayers and say that we are simply asking for renewal.”
MRCPL entered 2023 with a cash surplus of $11.5 million, according to financial documents submitted with its levy request. Its budget for 2023 includes $11.9 million in revenue and $14.6 million in expenses, which would reduce the carryover to $8.8 million entering 2024.
May said in January the agency’s $5.4 million capital improvement budget for 2023 includes a new stand-alone library building across the street from the Crestview school campus, in addition to improvements at other library locations such as Ontario.
“I’m guessing it would be $2 to $2.5 million, something like that, depending on how large (the Crestview building would be),” May said. “We are working with the church right across from the school right now and hoping to finalize that soon.
“The school could use the space and we could use the space to offer amenities that we can’t offer now.”
May said Friday the work to acquire the space near Crestview is ongoing.
“It’s still in the works,” he said. “We are moving ahead with investing in other facilities, including the rehabilitation of the Ontario branch.”
The director said in January the library board is open to the idea of participating financially in a planned linear park along West Third Street in Mansfield that will connect the Imagination District and the Carrousel District.
“We have had some very initial talks on that, but we haven’t gone too far with it,” May said. “But I think we would like to be involved in some way with that project.”
