About the library > Library Funding
Library Funding
Letter from Vailey Oehlke, Director of Libraries
May 15, 2012
Dear Multnomah County Library Patrons,
Thank you, voters of Multnomah County! By voting to maintain the current library levy, you have provided a crucial safety net for library services. Your vote for the library ensures the majority of library funding will be in place for the next three years, without raising taxes.
As the second-most-used public library in the nation, it is heartening to see the enthusiasm for this library at each of our 19 library locations and at the ballot box. The library is grateful and fortunate to have such dedicated patrons and readers.
Your support of the library levy measure ensures that our world-class libraries will be kept open six days a week. Your support means that the library can continue to be a champion for literacy for young and school-age children, and provide seniors, job seekers, small business owners, those speaking English as a second language, and countless others the resources to thrive. Your support means that all residents can still have free and open access to their library. Your support has profound meaning for those whose lives are changed for the better each day at the library.
The library also extends its heartfelt thanks to the volunteers on the Libraries Yes Campaign, The Library Foundation, The Friends of the Library, the Board of County Commissioners and Multnomah County Chair Jeff Cogen, who has been a tireless champion for libraries. Without these individuals, this library system would be facing perhaps the most difficult cuts in its history, instead of looking to the future. Once again, thank you, voters of Multnomah County!
Onward,
- Vailey Oehlke, Director of Libraries
As Oregon's largest public library, Multnomah County Library serves nearly one-fifth of the state's population with a wide variety of programs and services. Over 35,000 people use the library each day, either online or in person. More than 22.7 million items were circulated in fiscal year 2010, a new record for any library in the nation serving fewer than one million residents. That’s an average of 31 items checked out or renewed for every man, woman and child in Multnomah County. (Data from fiscal year 2011, which is compiled by the library and not reflected in the report, reveals that Multnomah County Library circulation has increased again, to 23.9 million, the highest ever experienced by the library — making the most current annual circulation per person 32.8.)
Two main sources of funding support these library services: the five-year local option library levy passed in 2006 provides 66 percent, and the Multnomah County general fund provides 24 percent. The remaining 10 percent comes from a variety of non-tax sources (fees, fines, grants, etc.). There is concern that the current system of library funding is not sustainable due to Multnomah County’s structural budget deficit, property tax compression and the need to renew the levy every five years. This concern was recognized by voters in November 2010 with the passage of Measure 26-114, allowing for the board of county commissioners to forward a measure to a future election to change how the library is funded.
