No alternative plans on the table for building a new library
facility in the city
Gilroy – State voters have swept away Gilroy’s best chance to build a new library.
On Tuesday, 54 percent of California’s voters rejected Proposition 81, a $600 million statewide bond initiative that would have financed hundreds of new libraries across the state.
Gilroy officials had hoped to get two thirds of the funding for a new $22 million facility. If approved, they were confident the city would quickly pull down the funds after narrowly missing out on a slice of the $350 million library bond voters approved in 2000.
“In the past, libraries and literacy have always done really well,” Gilroy’s head librarian, Lani Yoshimura said in the run-up to the election. “Hopefully people will understand that this is important for the future to pass a measure like this. It will be something used for a very long time by thousands and thousands of people.”
The Gilroy library currently serves 1,600 people and contains 130,000 books, videos and other materials – nearly double the amount is was built to hold.
The 53,500 square foot facility proposed to replace the current library at Sixth and Rosanna streets would hold 266,000 items.
By 5pm Tuesday evening, teenagers and adults crammed the facility, the kids monopolizing the computers while parents stopped by the reading rooms with younger children.
“I think it’s a vibrant place, but it’s definitely getting a little snug,” said Janet Braslin a four-year resident who voted in favor of Proposition 81. “I think libraries are very important. As much money as they can get, I think they deserve.”
Margaret Seery, who had stopped by with her daughter to return books before heading to the polls, also favored Proposition 81.
“I love the library here, but I think it would be great to have something new,” she said.
But not all voters are fans of the $600 million measure, which legislative analysts predict will cost the state nearly $1.2 billion over 30 years.
Brad Bannister, emerging from the polls at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, said he supported the last bond measure but couldn’t get behind this one.
“It always seems they’re asking for more money,” he said.
Todd Jackson, who cast his ballot at Glen View Elementary School, also criticized the proposition.
“It’s not that I don’t think that libraries are important,” he said. “But I think that with the Internet they’re becoming more obsolete. A lot of the libraries have turned into a babysitting (drop off) for parents.”
Gilroy officials who were banking on the passage have no alternate plans to finance a new facility. If approved, the initiative would have cost each resident about $2.
