Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
NORTH WEBSTER - The North Webster-Tippecanoe Township Library which has always been open to the public can now become a public library.
The Tippecanoe Township advisory board voted Monday to dissolve the current library services authority status, allowing the organization to become a Class One public library.
"We will submit our budget to the state by March 1," said library board president Brenda Rigdon. The rates will probably be set around 3 cents per $100 assessed valuation. The budget will be approved by the township advisory board first then approved by the Board of Local Government Finance.
"Its going to be two years before we get any tax money," Rigdon said of the 2006 levy coming to Tippecanoe Township property owners to support the new institution IN 2007. "Luckily, we've been saving and scraping for several years because we knew there would be a delay from the time the tax could be collected and then distributed. We have enough money to operate until we can bring in the tax dollars.
"I really, really, really appreciate the township board's decision to provide this to the community."
The Tippecanoe Township-North Webster Library was the last LSA in the state. The township provided $15,000 annually and the town matched that amount.
In February it was moved from 502 W. Washington St. into the north end of the new community center. The new location provides more than 5,000 square feet to a facility that used to operate with 1,300 square feet.
It was a good move. Circulation has doubled since the library moved into the new space. All four computers are on and in use from the time the library opens until it closes.
Tax dollars will provide the means for a part-time staff people to assist Helen Leinbach, the librarian since 1990. Rigdon said there were plans to increase children's programming, the size of the collection and offer other benefits to patrons.
"We have a committee planning a research room focusing on the county lakes," she said. "We want it to become a resource center for anyone interested in studying lake history."
Patrons will be able to purchase a Public Library Access card that can be used at any library in the state. Inter-library loan services will be available as well as programs funded by the state and federal governments.
Board of trustees president. Rigdon, Mike Wilson, Bob Stevens, Gail Harris, Kathy Miller, Dana Krull and Teresa Petro and Rich Hays.
Township trustees are Jim Rhodes, Dan Conkling and Joe Shaffer. Alyssa Schmucker is township trustee.
For more infomration call the library, 574-834-7122
Hours are Tuesday and Thursday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Wednesday and Friday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to noon.
