Foundation says 7 cents can go a long way

In the 1960’s the levy that supports the Laclede County Library District was 20 cents per hundred dollars assessed valuation, but in the 1980’s the Hancock Amendment required the levy to be rolled back to 13 cents. Melinda Fries with the Library Foundation said the intent of the rollback didn’t quite work the way it was supposed to…….

Now the Library District wants the levy to be set at 20 cents which will allow them to meet certain operational needs, including facility maintenance, increased utility costs, and increased cost for purchasing books. According to Library Director Cathy Dame, the average cost to purchase a hardback book is about $24, and the average cost for one disc in an audio book is $8.