EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the third in a series of columns by Dorr Township Library Board President Rachel Vote explaining the one-mill request on the Aug. 6 special election ballot.

I think it’s important to explain the amount of money the library is requesting in relationship to the current budget and to show the monetary value of using the Dorr Township Library for an “average” household.

The current annual library budget is about $190,000. This includes a $50,000 appropriation from the township, $70,000 from the current 0.3-mill levy, penal fines, state aid payments and payments for overdue materials.

Unfortunately, the library cannot continue to operate on less than a third of a mill. The library includes penal fines in the annual budget as needed revenue to keep the checkbook in the black, but penal fines are not a guaranteed form of revenue, nor is the amount consistent. State aid funding also depends on the state’s budget for the year. Library funding is often slashed when states need to make cuts to balance the budget.

The library often needs to move funds from the book, AV, and periodical budgets to cover necessary operations expenses.

All of these factors have contributed to the Library Board deciding there is a need for an increase in millage funding.

The library is asking voters for one mill on the Aug. 6 ballot in a special election. One mill would give the library a budget of $235,000 a year. The additional $45,000 (over the $190,000 mentioned above) would allow the library to offer more programs, buy more patron requested materials, update the plumbing in the restrooms, extend hours of operation, and offer “Hoopla,” a very popular digital resource that offers a wider range of newer content to patrons.

With passage of the ballot proposal, the library would no longer need the $50,000 contribution from the township to continue operating. The $50,000 could be used in other areas, such as dust control, road repairs or park improvements. However, if the library returns the $50,000 to the township, it will have to replace that $50,000 through these millage funds.

So what is the approximate monthly value of the library for an “average” family in Dorr? For this example, we will say an average family has two children and one adult who use the library programs and services.

Say this family lives in a house with a taxable value of $100,000 (home value of $200,000). The adult attends one art program a month, checks out three books, and uses the computer to access Ancestry.com. The children check out 15 books a month, attend kids zooming, and attend story time.

The average book price on Amazon.com is approximately $10. If this family checked out 18 books in a month, the savings of borrowing books from the library rather than purchasing them is $180. Ancestry.com costs $19.99 a month, and an art class is roughly $15 per session. Paying for a weekly activity for a child varies greatly depending on the activity.

In one month, this family received more than $215 in goods and services by using the library. Through property taxes, the family pays $8.34 a month for a 1.0 mill in library funding.

So it makes sense to approve the increase in funding and vote YES, if you (or someone you know) check out at least one book a month, attend one program a month, or use the computers to access a database once a month.

So voters arguably could be spending money in order to save money.