Tucked in the back of the Tippecanoe Township building, the North Webster-Tippecanoe Township Library offers more than 15,000 books, magazines, videos and audio books to residents.

Open to the public, with library cards available for a fee to out-of-township citizens, the facility is a Library Services Authority - not a public library. Instead of raising revenue through a tax levy, the library is dependent upon matching line items in the town and township budgets and a generous community to operate.

Helen Leinbach has been librarian since 1990.

"We're the only LSA in the state to function as a 'public library,'" she said.

When the library moves from its present location at 502 W. Washington St. into the new community center, a goal of Leinbach and the board of trustees is to become a public library.

The library offers Internet access, computer access, a fax service, federal and state tax forms, a homebound delivery service, a summer reading program for elementary students, storytime for pre-schoolers and interlibrary loan services.

In 2002, 2,375 library cardholders checked out 30,000 items.

"I think a public library is required to have a few more periodicals," Leinbach said of the difference between her library and all the others in the state.

The North Webster Tippecanoe Township library is no place for browsers.

The bookshelves are set close together. The reference area has one table and four chairs. Another chair is tucked between two bookshelves, and one rocking chair occupies the children's section.

That's it for lounging.

Patrons accuse Leinbach of "hiding" when she tends to paperwork at her desk behind a bookshelf by the circulation desk.

In February, the library is scheduled to move from the current 1,300 square feet into more than 5,000 square feet at the North Webster Community Center, according to the library board of trustees president Brenda Rigdon.

"The library will become a cultural center with plenty of space for browsing," Rigdon said of the move.

She envisions a space where families come and go at their leisure, where patrons curl up with a selection.

A few chairs and a table hardly make a conversation area, however. More furniture is needed to make the space inviting.

Jeannie Ross is organizing fund-raisers through a Friends of the Library organization and plans to use any money for immediate needs such as furniture, four computers, more shelves, displays and additions to the collection.

The community wouldn't have to be solicited for basic items if a levy for operating costs were in place.

"I feel like it's in and out here," Ross said. "There is no place to linger. The new library will have a place for programs, to bring in families."

The township is 1,500 people short of what the state considers large enough to support a public library.

Although the number of people swells to well over 10,000 in the summer, those who own primary residences elsewhere are not considered part of the population.

"There are 100 libraries in Indiana that serve smaller communities than ours," Leinbach said. "We're just a little smaller than Syracuse and larger than Milford, and their libraries are public."

"The board of trustees is very supportive of the library becoming public," Rigdon said.

Last winter, State Rep. Bill Ruppel introduced HB1845, specifying that all Library Service Authorities be given Class I public library status at the request of the town council.

The bill, which passed the House, wasn't heard in the Senate.

In 2004, Ruppel's hands may be tied. Representatives can introduce only five bills each. He already plans to introduce four bills.

"I've got two bills that deal with taxing in the Kosciusko and Wabash county school corporations I have to get introduced," Ruppel said of next year's Statehouse rules, "and one very important one dealing with drainage laws. Then I'll introduce a third one to correct a mistake in the law dealing with trucks and trailers and hauling. I've got to save opportunity for a summer study I've been on.

"I'd be glad to introduce it, but this may be a tough year to do so."

Ruppel said he hasn't made a decision regarding his final bill and he hasn't heard a request from the new town council members - incumbent Kay Andrews, Jane Shepherd and John Sroufe.

"When I started here, the budget was $12,000. We've more than doubled circulation since then," Leinbach said.

The 2004 operating budget is $38,000; $19,000 each from the town and the township. Out-of-township library cards are $12 per year and free for senior citizens. Cardholders also can participate in the state interlibrary loan program through INCOLSA. They do not qualify for Public Library Access Cards to check out items from any library in state.

Leinbach plans to extend hours with a group of volunteers when the library moves. Projected services include classes for Internet and computer skills, genealogy research, writing memoirs and scrapbooking. She would like to develop after- school activities, tutoring services, book discussion groups and movie showings.

"I'm really excited about moving to Main Street, where we'll be much more visible," she said. "Perception has a lot to do with how people view the library. The new facility will have space for people to meet and work together."

"Friends of the Library will need to be an active group," Rigdon said, because two people will need to be on duty when the library is open."

In addition to Rigdon, library board members are Bob Stevens, Dana Krull, Kathy Miller, Rich Hays, Mike Wilson, Gayle Harris and Teresa Petro. [[In-content Ad]]