Our space needs have become truly critical. While we are proud of the services and materials we have been able to provide even in our small library facility, we have been discouraged by the limitations our space has given to us and our patrons. 

• Our children’s area is often crowded with children and their caregivers, making it difficult for them to comfortably use the space and access materials and activities.
• Our community room is too small for our most popular programs, forcing us to either limit participation or have patrons standing outside the doors, trying to see and hear. 
• We only have one study room and one community room, forcing us to regularly turn individuals and community groups away. 
• Our shelves are full, and we can only make room for new materials by removing other items long before we would prefer to do so. 

We have been planning this expansion for several years. We first worked with a professional library consultant, who gathered needs and requests from library staff, the board of trustees, and a public survey and created a planning document that outlined the requirements for an expanded facility.

We next worked with an architect from Engberg Anderson who specializes in library design. He turned the planning document and input from staff and trustees into our initial design and cost estimates. We used these for the next few years as we applied for grants and had discussions with community members. 

When we decided to move forward, the architect adjusted the plans and cost estimates based on information from our most recent public survey and some suggestions from library staff.

Library staff and trustees first took the following steps to ensure that the library could not only complete the expansion, but also repair and maintain the entire facility and cover operating expenses while maintaining a solid financial foundation:

• The library’s architect firm assessed the current facility and created a 20-year capital needs assessment, covering all expected repairs and maintenance costs.
• A financial consultant worked with library staff to create a 20-year financial plan with projected revenues and operating expenses.
• The library’s architect reestimated the cost of the expansion itself with the most recent data available. 

The total cost of the library expansion and near-term repairs and maintenance for the existing facility is estimated to be $10,500,000.

The total cost of the library expansion and near-term repairs and maintenance for the existing facility is estimated to be $10,500,000. 

The board of trustees has committed to covering the first 15% ($1,625,000) through a combination of:

• Library reserves that have been built up for this project since 2010,
• Voluntary donations from the community, and
• Grants. 

The remainder of the costs depend on passing a bond referendum for $8,925,000 in March 2026. Payments on these bonds would begin immediately after the retirement of construction bonds for the current building, minimizing the increase in property taxes. The current estimated impact on property taxes is $1.55 per month for a $100,000 house.

This project will increase your total property tax bill by less than 1%. 

Less than 1%? How can it have so little impact? It’s simple: the library represents a small portion of your property tax bill, so our request will have a minimal effect on your tax bill.

Payments on the new bonds will begin immediately after the retirement of construction bonds for the current building, minimizing the increase in property taxes. The current estimated impact on property taxes is $1.55 per month for a $100,000 house.

1996: The library requested an increase in its operating rate. This referendum did not pass.

2007: The library requested an increase in its operating rate sufficient to build and fund a new library. This referendum did not pass.

2008: The library held two referendums at the same time this year.

• A bond referendum to fund the construction of the current building. This referendum passed.
• An increase in the operating rate to cover additional operating costs. This referendum did not pass.
  

2011: Shortly after the building opened in 2010, the library again asked voters to increase the operating rate. This referendum did not pass.

The library has been adding countless programs and services while barely changing what you pay in property taxes!

Check out this real example from a home in Mahomet:

Note: to find these numbers for your own property, look at your tax bill or visit the Champaign County Clerk property tax lookup site.

Library Tax Rate: The overall tax rate levied on Mahomet property has dropped from 0.3061 in 2021 to 0.2494 in 2024. That is a reduction of 18.5%! For the property listed above, the increase in actual tax paid to the library came almost entirely from the 28.5% increase in property value, not from the library raising tax rates.

Refinancing Savings: In 2019, the Library Board went to considerable effort to refinance the bonds on the existing building. This work did not bring any more income to the library, but it did save taxpayers $230,000.

Savings Toward Expansion: Despite continually increasing programs and services, the library has worked hard to set aside some funds every year to be used on this expansion project.

The library district and the school district are separate taxing bodies addressing different needs in the community. Both entities have been impacted by the rapid population growth in the community. 

All of us at the Library are proud of the schools in our community, and support them, but the need for the library is also pressing, and we don’t know when the school projects will be completed. 

• Community Gathering Spaces: There are few free places for people to gather to visit, hold meetings, or host groups such as book clubs. This expansion will provide multiple indoor and outdoor spaces that can be used freely by the community. 
  • An outdoor programming space with tables that can be used when no programs are being held.
  • An informal gathering space where people can visit over coffee or bring their lunch. 
  • A large community room that can be divided into two smaller rooms, both reservable by community groups and organizations. 
• Large Children’s Library: The children’s library will be a safe, free gathering space for children and caregivers. Separated from the adult spaces, it will be a magical place for children to play and learn and for caregivers to gather or relax.
• Dedicated Teen Space: Currently there are few free, safe places for teens to hang out in the community. The library expansion includes a dedicated teen space that will offer teens a fun, yet safe place to be.
• More Programs: More space means more opportunities to provide free programs that benefit the entire community, whether it’s a concert in our outdoor space, a cooking class for adults, a crazy video game night for teens, or magicians and animals for the kids. 

Quiet Work/Study Areas: Once the children’s library has been established, there will be more opportunities for quiet work and study in the main library.

While we truly believe this expansion is in the best interests of the community, if we are not able to move forward we will continue as we have been doing, providing the best library programming, services, and materials that we can in our limited space. 

Unfortunately, this means we will continue to:

• Turn children and families away from programs due to lack of space, 
• Lack room for all the materials we need as the population grows, 
• Have limited availability of meeting space for community groups, 
• Lack sufficient quiet work/study space, and
• Have an overcrowded children’s area, especially before and after programs.