The Hopkins Public Library is two steps closer to acquiring a new status as a district library.
Trustees from both the Village of Hopkins and Hopkins Township gave unanimous approval to a district library proposal on July 11, following a presentation by library director Sharon Galligan.
Galligan has been working with the library board and Library of Michigan officials for most of the past year, working out the details of the proposal. A public informational meeting was held at the library on Jan. 27.
The Hopkins Public Library currently serves residents of the Village of Hopkins and Hopkins Township, who pay a 0.5-mill tax.
Monterey and Watson Townships are contracted to use the Hopkins Library through the payment of approximately $4,000 in combined penal fines, which are imposed for infractions like speeding and other civil violations. But patrons from those areas who visit the Hopkins branch are not allowed the full use of all services by the Lakeland Library Cooperative.
Gaining district status would expand the Hopkins Public Library service area to include that part of Monterey Township not served by the Allegan District Library, and also the part of Watson Township that is located within the Hopkins school district.
Now that Hopkins Village and Township have approved the proposal, it awaits approval by Monterey Township and Hopkins Public Schools. Once they are on board, the agreement would be submitted to the Michigan State Library. Funding through a millage tax would need to be secured from all four bodies by 2013.
“I don’t think the millage will be a hard sell … it totally makes sense,” Galligan said.
Normally, there would not be a reason to include a school district in a district library agreement. But Galligan said the plan was intended to benefit those living closer to Hopkins, while part of Watson Township is served by the Martin Library.
Since Watson Township was not able to enter into an agreement on behalf of only part of its residents, the solution was to include the Hopkins School District instead.
“We needed their boundaries,” Galligan explained. She said the partnership with the school district could bring a cost benefit through sharing of materials and services.
The annual budget for the Hopkins Public Library is about $82,000. The library has had to dip into its fund balance each of the previous three years. Additional funding from the expanded service area could bring a much-needed boost of about $58,000 per year, library officials said.