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Kitsap Regional Library will ask voters in November for money to help restore library hours, expand educational programs and invest in technology.

KRL trustees voted this week to approve the levy increase, which is estimated to raise the property tax rate by 8 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. The current rate costs taxpayers 35 cents per $1,000.

If approved, funds would be used for maintenance at KRL’s nine locations, after-school programs, internships and classes focused on early education for parents and children.

Money would also be used to buy better computers, add meeting space and restore Sunday hours that were eliminated in 2011 at five library branches.

Library officials said the goal is to shore up funding for the next five to 10 years. The proposed levy would add $3.43 million to KRL’s budget for 2018.

“We would prefer to not go back to voters for 10 years,” KRL Director Jill Jean said. “We would like to make this amount of money stretch.”

Talks of a levy increase have been in the works at KRL since last year, but trustees wanted to input from the community before approving a measure. The library reached out to over 80 organizations, asking what they would like to see out of their libraries, Jean said.

Programs that expanded education for young people, as well as after-school STEM programs and more flexible meeting spaces ranked high. People also said they wanted more consistency in the hours that libraries were open, especially weekends.

“Our community really wants libraries to function as community centers,” Jean said.

Levy funds would go toward fixing and maintaining library facilities, like bathrooms that were built in the 1960s and '70s. Updating electrical systems, ventilation and wi-fi are also on KRL’s checklist of items to improve.

The last time KRL went to voters for funding was 2010, when its lid-lift measure — that would have raised $36.5 million over 10 years — failed. A levy in 2007 also was rejected by voters.

November’s measure, if approved, won’t be used to pay for a new library building in Silverdale. Jean emphasized that communities are responsible for constructing their buildings. KRL opened a branch in the Village Green Community Center in Kingston in 2016 and is also working on remodeling the Bainbridge Island library.  

The proposed Silverdale library, which will be located at Bucklin Hill Road near Clear Creek, is in the process of raising the $7 million needed for construction. Just less than half that amount has been raised so far via donations and grants. 

Without the additional funding from the levy, Jean said KRL may have to look at more cuts — including shutting down the Bookmobile service and potentially closing one or two locations.

“We think we have good, strong support in the community that we've been building since 2012,” Jean said. “We’re really hopeful it's reflected in a positive vote this time.”

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