After years of seeking funding commitments through annual government and school district contributions, creating additional fundraisers, investing funds, and embarking on significant cost savings measures (staffing/workflow consolidation, resource sharing, etc.), ORLA has proposed the current solution to put the choice squarely in the hands of our local voters through a ballot measure on November 4, 2025.

This proposal, to establish ORLA as our County library, supported at a taxable rate of .25 mills, through voter approval:

• Ensures the outcome follows the will of the people
• Provides the clearest pathway to countywide library access for ALL residents
• Provides the clearest pathway to countywide, sustainable library funding

Our libraries are for everyone! Therefore, this should be a countywide decision to fully support library services. Current practices mean that residents of each municipality pay more or less, or not at all, toward library services. This means various degrees of funding streams, service access and barriers depending on where you live. This leads to confusion, frustrations and real-life limitations on user experiences. By establishing a County Library, it means that all residents can participate in library services on an equal level. It means that library resources and delivery can be focused on the greatest impact across our wider, shared community.

County designation and funding, established via this approach, allows resources and services to be more responsive to the entire region’s trends. Countywide focus will inform service delivery and provide resources through identified goals and distribution methods.

Currently, depending on where you live, you may:

• Qualify for a library card just by showing up to your local library! Then take that card to ANY public library in PA to get a card from them. Awesome.

            OR

• Have to pay a fee in order to get a library card. Then, have to pay a fee at ANY other library you want to use. Ugh.

By approving a countywide ballot measure:

• ALL Venango County residents qualify under the same local standards to a library card! Then, they can qualify for cards at any local PA library. This includes:
  • • Access to ALL Venango County libraries in: Oil City, Franklin and Cooperstown! Future delivery models/locations possible.
    • Access to ALL Clarion County libraries in: Clarion, Knox, Foxburg, New Bethlehem, and Rimersburg!
    • Access to shared digital collections of eBooks, digital audiobooks, movies, research tools, and more!
    • Free eligibility to the rest of PA, especially notable for our border residents that may choose to frequent a library in Butler, Crawford, Forest, Mercer, etc. counties!

It doesn’t matter where you live, work, or play, library services become more easily accessible to everyone through this approach. 

ORLA was founded in part to be a solution to the ongoing library concerns. Representatives of various local library entities saw the value in combining forces to unify our shared missions, leverage strengths and resources, while navigating together through tough circumstances. 

Ongoing efforts were made to:

• Save costs – the Board worked to consolidate staff positions and workflows, significantly increased the amount of shared resources and enhanced delivery so that the general public could retain access to local library services.
• Increase funds – the Board increased the amount of library fundraisers, explored various investment opportunities and continued engaging with local stakeholders to seek additional support toward operations and increase access for local residents
• Adopt Countywide thinking – Decision makers leaned into long-term countywide impact. Multiple grant-funded studies were completed to explore countywide library service models.

The PA Library Code, state law that outlines library standards to qualify for State Aid, uses local government (municipalities & counties) and school district public library contributions as a core component to determine State Aid. The eligibility and amount of State Aid is determined by the type and amount of these local funds received. It is also what determines the eligibility of direct cardholder access for the end user. Overall, it is heavily incentivized from the State level for the local governments and school districts to fund their public libraries through greater support.

Currently, the long-term trajectory of public library funding is very concerning through the eyes of public library support. While local utilization has seen upticks in resource usage, service demand and community partners, the public funds have reversed course. This puts the future of service delivery, eligibility of access for many residents, qualifications for State Aid, abilities of other community providers all at significant RISK. The wider impact would be much more than the investment it takes to provide quality library access to ALL residents.

By approving a library tax and designating a County library:

• All residents become eligible for direct library service at any Venango County library and its partners.
• All residents are extended access to all PA public libraries through the ACCESSPA program.
• Our libraries become eligible for County Coordination Aid. 
  • Currently, we have no County designation or annual financial commitment through them
  • Approving this measure is projected to raise approximately $450,000 qualifying funds. (*using Crawford County as a reference, this could project an additional $165,000 in annual State Aid to our libraries*)

By not seeking this library tax:

• Our public library funding continues to rely upon the budget allocations of the individual municipalities, school districts and county government. 
• In recent years this has meant:
  • $0 annual commitment from the County (*they have funded $100,000 for 2025).
  • Therefore, we have been ineligible to receive County Coordination Aid, missing out on State funds currently being allocated to other qualifying communities
  • Municipal Support:
    • Reduced or mixed funding from at least 4 municipalities
    • Elimination of, or no support from at least 13 municipalities
    • Level funding (while costs of doing business have increased) from at least 10 municipalities
    • Up to 4 municipalities supporting libraries outside Venango County
  • School Districts
    • 1 continuous school district partner
    • Elimination of, or $0 support from all others

Libraries are for everyone. They have a positive impact on the overall quality of life for communities. Recent trends show that many area residents continue to rely upon and utilize library services while qualifying entities (local governments, school districts) are not voluntarily investing the funds necessary to guarantee direct, ongoing access for their constituents. ORLA has made significant efforts to reduce costs while maintaining the best level of service deserving to the community. 

This campaign is an opportunity to ensure that consistent access to these valuable services is available to ALL county residents now and into the future. Without increasing our annual funding, we’ll be forced to make tough choices in the immediate future to limit, or fully eliminate, the amount and type of library resources and services provided.

This effort is one that will open doors for all residents to READ:

• Expand Reach
  • Provide direct cardholder services countywide to EVERY resident. (Currently, up to 1/3 of residents have to pay annually for service).
  • Provide new pathways to deliver service – bring more resources to you across more formats and locations.
• Support Education
  • Continue to support formal educational institutions with staff, resources and space – includes delivering books to elementary schools, leading in-school book clubs, and providing free space for on-site GED classes.
  • Expand the number of school partners.
  • Provide pathways for individualized informal education and exploration.
• Enhance Access
  • More equitable distribution of funds – Receiving from the County, rather than individual entities, allows overall patron demand and needs dictate funding/service distribution.
  • Guarantees local funds support public libraries. Cannot be lowered or eliminated unless the majority of voters choose to do so.
• Promote Development
  • Guaranteed, sustainable funding allows libraries to make multi-year investments to maximize local development and growth.
  • The success of libraries also means the success of many area providers. By having ongoing access to library spaces, resources and services, other providers are able to further develop and deliver on their missions.
  • Sustained, quality libraries are an economic development driving force. It will attract and retain workforce, support the education of future leaders and provide ample connections to the community.

Should the County of Venango support the Oil Region Library Association to operate as a county library by establishing a Special Library Tax at the rate of .25 mills on all taxable real estate within the county ($12.50 per assessed value of $50,000)?

All registered voters (register by October 20!) report to their normal precinct, or vote by mail, during the upcoming general election on November 4, 2025. The question will appear on all Venango County voter ballots. Vote YES to support the future of libraries for everyone!

All registered voters within Venango County, regardless of owning or renting a home, are eligible to vote for this measure. Register online by October 20!

Or contact our local Elections/Voter Registrations Office:

Laura Anna, Voter Registrar
(814) 432-9514
1174 Elk St. Room 103
Courthouse Annex, 1st Floor
Franklin, PA 16323

Over the years, numerous pathways have been attempted by library leaders. Annual in-kind contributions from local governments have been sought in addition to committed funding from County Commissioners. These attempts have not led to consistent investments from qualifying entities, which continues to create barriers requiring many end users to pay directly, disqualifies our libraries from additional State Aid opportunities, and ultimately limits budgets and services. Significant cost-saving measures such as library consolidation and resource sharing have taken place, but require sustainable, equitable income to meet ongoing community demand.

The PA Legal Code clearly outlines a pathway to dedicated library funding through the collection of local property taxes. It combines the most equitability with long-term sustainability. It would guarantee the annual millage, collected countywide, dedicated to library services while leaving the remaining collection rates and investment areas to County Commissioners.

Yes, Crawford County Federated Library System is currently supported through a voter-approved property tax. 

• They currently collect 0.7 mills – totaling approximately $824,304
• This is matched by the State with County Coordination Aid – approximately $303,230

For comparison, our ORLA libraries currently receive:

• approximately $224,000 in annual municipal funds. 
• Due to a lack of “county library” designation, and no committed annual County funds (*though $100,000 has been committed from the 2025 budget), ORLA is currently disqualified from receiving County Coordination Aid.

When successful, this campaign will establish:

• a collection of .25 mills – approximately $450,000 countywide
• Eligibility toward County Coordination Aid – approximately $165,535 using Crawford County as a baseline
• Direct Access to ALL residents to ALL area libraries

Beginning January 1, 2026 all Venango County residents will be eligible to receive direct library services from ORLA. This includes access to physical collections and services at the Oil City, Franklin and Cooperstown public libraries, shared digital resources, and access to any eligible partner services – currently including all 5 Clarion County public libraries.

The library tax will be collected as part of the standard County tax collection process, requiring no further action from the payer than in previous years. 

Increased revenue and countywide focus will provide a needed boost to local library collections and services. The ORLA Board, with input and guidance from area partners, stakeholders and users, will continue to evaluate ongoing service options and delivery models to maximize the countywide impact, allowing everyone to READ!

Beginning as early as January 1, 2026, local library services will be considered for reduction and/or elimination. In many cases, it won’t be due to lack of local interest, demand or community need. Instead, the decisions will be driven by overall budgets and decisions of stakeholders.

Many area school districts and municipalities are not supporting our local libraries at the $5 per capita qualifying rate for the libraries to receive State Aid. Others don’t support at all or have notified ORLA of eliminating their future support. This puts many area residents at risk of losing direct access to library service (without paying more individually) due to the lack of funding support from these entities. 

Rather than exploring new delivery models, enhanced services and additional resources, ORLA will be forced to immediately reduce the amount of new resources purchased, total services provided, and limit future countywide impact projections to best align costs with stagnant budgets. 

If approved by a majority of voters on November 4, 2025, the ballot measure will remain in effect permanently until or unless:

• Changes (increases, reductions, elimination) to the special library tax, described in a specific ballot measure, is approved by a majority of voters at a future election
• The County Commissioners, at their discretion, may choose to increase the tax without voter approval, but it shall not be decreased below the voter-approved amount.
  • Crawford County initially approved a 0.6 mills tax, but it has since been increased to 0.7 mills via standard Commissioner budget adoptions

Changes are expected to take place across various periods. Some will be near-immediate, beginning as early as January 1, 2026, while others will occur over time.

Libraries have been an integral, ongoing part of our society – with America’s oldest continuous public library residing right here in (Darby) PA since 1743! Libraries advance the quality of life on the individual, group and community level. Access to quality public libraries provides a wider impact on our local workforce, schools, tax base, market value of homes, and more. 

People look to community resources, including public libraries, to determine if they will relocate, or remain, within a particular community as they look to maximize their overall quality of life. This is due to the many offerings available at local libraries and their residual impact on area service providers and local offerings.

• Individuals and groups can utilize library resources to advance their own learning, fulfill recreational interests, and connect with others.
• Libraries provide tools to allow for proper engagement in our society. This includes, but is not limited to: internet access and devices, physical materials comprising an array of topics, home tools, government forms, educational classes, and private work spaces.
• Libraries provide community connections such as: local history collections, community event flyers, understanding of local service providers, public programs and events.

When everyone has access, the quality of life improves. The baseline level of education, workforce development, community engagement and recreational offerings all benefit from proper access to quality library services.

While we understand you may not actively use the library, we expect to be available to serve you in the future when looking to take advantage of the available opportunities. We lean heavily into local input and area needs, so there are always opportunities to provide suggestions and see how they may be incorporated into future services.

We encourage everyone to check out the resources and services offered – many of which may surprise you! They include, but are not limited to:

• Books, movies, tools, games and more, currently accessible from 3 Venango County locations and 5 Clarion County locations with your library card
• Digital books, magazines and audiobooks available 24/7 from your own device
• Free music streaming, including 3 permanent downloads weekly, and movie streaming available 24/7 from your own device
• Seed Exchange libraries at all Venango County locations
  • Pick up seeds for your next growing season – gather seeds and return them to the library during harvest to make them available for next year!
  • Check out the rototiller, soil PH meter, or garden tools with your library card!
• Local history collections, community event notices 
• Public programs, gathering and event spaces for public/private use

On average, less than $15 per parcel. 

Please note, this includes all taxable parcels in the County, which comprises businesses, homes and other private properties. While the taxable percentage will be equal across all parcels, the specific valuation of your property will determine the exact amount you would contribute.

The proposed special library tax is seeking .25 mills to all taxable parcels in Venango County. According to the 2025 County budget, there are 36,000 parcels, totalling an assessed value of $2,083,000,000. This averages out to $14.47 per parcel annually to provide the same access for ALL county residents.