Library Ballot Question Passes, Now What?

St. Louis County voters approved a 6-cent tax increase for the St. Louis County Public Library system in Tuesday’s election, with approximately 57 percent of the votes favoring the measure.

“We are proud that the voters of the library district had confidence in our vision for taking the St. Louis County Library into the future to benefit our children, families and seniors,” said Library Director Charles Pace, in a message thanking voters. “The County Library is already one of the finest and most used libraries in the nation and, with these new resources, we will strive to make it the best."

The challenge now will be for the Library’s Board of Trustees to decide which improvements are more critical and need immediate attention. The tax revenue includes $76.9 million in construction of new libraries, $12.7 million in existing building renovations and another $9 million in upgrades.

“In the months to come, the Board of Trustees will consider which of the projects outlined in the Facilities Master Plan are most pressing and act accordingly. Input from the community will also play an important role in this process,” a news release stated.

You can view the proposed master plan here. It includes a rebuilt Thornhill Branch just outside Creve Coeur but describes it as an "intermediate" need.

According to the master plan, the library’s high priority improvements are:

• Headquarters Branch – New Building Construction
• Tesson Ferry Branch – New Building Construction
• Lewis and Clark Branch – New Building Construction
• Meramec Valley Branch – New Building Construction
• Daniel Boone Branch – Existing Building/Renovation/New Addition Construction
• Grand Glaize Branch – Existing Building/Renovation/New Addition Construction

As a taxpayer, which improvements do you think need the most attention? Tell us in our comments.