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Context for the Saving of Our Grant County Library

Location

Grant County, Oregon — a large area with a tiny population. Property taxes generate less than $2 million on a total county budget of about $88 million, of which the county road department is about $66 million. (There are other funding sources.)

The Issue

Due to budget shortfalls, the Grant County Court has decided to move forward with defunding the library.
- Requirement: Two public meetings must be held before defunding. - Timeline: After the second meeting, the library may be defunded immediately, rather than waiting until the end of the fiscal year (June 2026). - Nature of Meetings: These public meetings are to fulfill legal obligations, not to organize or act on solutions.

Notice of Public Hearing

Background

  • The library has long been supported by the county.
  • Current budget: $250,000
  • About $160,000 for two ¾-time employees (including benefits and state retirement)
  • Remainder covers contracted library services (e.g., LEO Libraries of Eastern Oregon), building upkeep, utilities, etc.
  • The library operates from a single (older) building in John Day, Oregon.
  • A library foundation (501c3) was created a few years ago to raise money for a new building. Some funds have been raised, but not enough for a new building. Now, the library itself is in jeopardy, making new building funding moot.

Lay of the Land

  • Many Oregon libraries have formed or joined library districts, often funded by special tax districts.
  • A levy is likely to fail in Grant County, but should still be tried.
  • Some small counties (e.g., Wheeler) have joined another county's library district to survive.
  • Josephine County's library was defunded, but later resurrected as a library district after being closed for several years.

What Needs to Happen (What has Happened)

  1. Form a Working Group:
  2. Already done. The Save Our Library Committee has met 4 times as of July 9, 2025.
  3. Internal email: gcorlibrary@gmail.com
  4. Public email: savethelibrary.gc.or@gmail.com
  5. Website (currently for committee use): gcorlibrary.org

  6. Facebook Group Page Save Our Library FB

  7. Create a Special Taxing District:

  8. Begin the process of forming a "Library District" like those in Baker and Lake counties (Oregon Congressional District 60).

  9. Seek Additional Funding Sources:

  10. Beyond what a special tax district can provide.

  11. Preserve the Building and Collection:

  12. Get the Grant County Court to donate or sell the building.
  13. Prevent liquidation of the building and collection therein.