A CADL call

I'm a little nervous these days, and that's because the Capital Area District Library here in Ingham County, Michigan, has its millage up for renewal on August 3.

Not only am I a patron of the Capital Area District Library (CADL), but I am also employed there. 90 percent of CADL's operating costs come from our millage, which is derived from homeowner's property tax in the county. Since property values have decreased substantially in Ingham County (and the rest of Michigan, for that matter) over the last four years, CADL will not receive as much money as it did before. Therefore, if the millage does not pass, the library system will close (and yours truly will be out of a job by the end of 2010, as will all of my CADL cohorts). But the loss of the library system will have more far-reaching consequences beyond my own self-interests. Everyone in the county, and all of our non-Ingham County patrons, will be without a library system. They'll have to look elsewhere for the services we provide.

If there is anyone out there reading this who has any interest in this millage, I urge you to go out and vote "YES" on August 3. In addition, I want you to know that we at CADL have, for the last year or so, taken big steps to streamline our operation to maximize our budget. We're all tightening our belts.

Anyway, I think CADL will be okay and we'll get this millage passed. I've seen a lot of positive feedback and comments regarding the libraries in the last few days, so my fears have been assuaged somewhat. Still, the possibility of NOT passing the millage is scary as hell. I'll be relieved when this is all over (that is, I'll be relieved when this is all over AND this millage has passed).

So Ingham County folks, think of how terrible our community would be without a public library system, and please, please go out and vote YES on the CADL millage on Tuesday, August 3.