Vermilion Pairish library tax renewal on April ballot

The Library Tax is an important one because it helps provide funding for services and supplies, and millage renewal is coming soon, with voting coming soon.
The tax itself, which is a property tax, has provided funds for equipment, supplies, maintenance, operation, construction, improvement, renovation and support of the Vermilion Parish Library and its branches (Abbeville, Kaplan, Gueydan, Maurice, Erath and Delcambre, as well as the needs of the Bookmobile.) A vote for it will help the 4.36 mills tax to continue for another ten years, from 2015-2024.
Early voting for this tax renewal begins on March 22 and runs through March 29. Official voting will commence on April 5. All registered parish voters are welcome to cast their vote.
Since February 14, 1942, when the first library tax passed, the library has been funded by the taxes of property owners and has been continually funded since then. It is not a new tax, but a continuation of the current one for another 10 years.
The property owners currently pay 4.36 mills and will continue to pay that much, which equates to $4.36 per thousand dollars of taxable assessed value, after exemptions. The library says they are not asking them to pay a higher percentage than they do now. This is the only tax that funds the library and it is also the one tax that keeps those six aforementioned libraries, plus the Bookmobile, open and operating.
The library works to control costs and also seeks out grant funding and government cost discounts. It also tries to generate revenue through faxing and photocopying for the public. It does not use the fines it charges for overdue items because that is to encourage those people to return the items so others can use them.
Libraries are beneficial because of how they promote literacy and education for all ages and also preserve local history. The tax can also benefit the whole parish because each of its libraries have services such as a collection of books, DVDs, audiobooks on CD, magazines and newspapers. It also provides high-quality computers, printers and copiers, fax, high speed Internet and Wi-Fi. Every summer, they have Summer Reading programs with professional performers and prizes for the kids. There is also an interlibrary loan connecting people to books from libraries across the country, access to 21 different database resources, free laptop checkouts and a website with a wide resource of databases and links. All library card holders can download Ebooks, audio, music and magazines through their library’s website for free.
As of this year, there are 1,510,312 items in circulation and the overall catalog collection is at 208,134. The Abbeville library has the most patrons added since 2005, with 11,023 added. It also has the largest catalog collection, with 98,602 items, and the most items in circulation, with 765,971, out of all the libraries in the parish.
The services it provides include photocopying, faxing, scanning, help with homework, computer for the vision-impaired, storytimes for daycares and Headstarts, weekly storytime at the libraries, test preparation, interactive books and resume writing among other things.
It also provides a vast range of items, such as adult books, juvenile and teen books, audios, movies on video and DVD, magazines in both hard and digital copy, newspapers, tax forms, genealogy information, microfilm, crafts and different programs for all ages like book sales, AR books, computer classes and an annual health fair.
Early voting for this tax renewal begins on March 22 and runs through the 29th. Official voting will commence on April 5. All registered parish voters are welcome to cast their vote.