Every 10 years, the people of East Baton Rouge Parish must vote on whether they want to refund the library, and it’s time again for the people to make that decision.
This time, supporters of the library have taken a new approach to the campaign due to the capabilities of social media. The logo for this campaign is a small cartoon bird telling the Baton Rouge community to vote “yes” for library funding.
“On our own time, we’re visiting with our friends and neighbors, and dropping in,” said East Baton Rouge Parish Library Director Mary Stein. “I was at the farmers market just a few days ago wearing a silly hat.”
Stein also explained that about 99 percent of the funding the library receives comes from the property taxes. Only about five percent is actually used to update the libraries due to the high property taxes and electricity bills. She also pointed out that the amount of money the library asks for has not increased over the years and will not increase this year.
The Baton Rouge library on Goodwood opened in 2014 and has taken a step forward to match the needs of newer generations through study rooms, multiple computers and even a reading terrace.
“It was really beautiful,” said sophomore public relations major Lauren de Mahy. It was huge, and it was just a great space to get away from the hecticness of like campus and Middleton during midterms. It’s crazy. So it’s just a good place to get away and kinda relax.”
The library is a place many students come to study, relax and read books. It also provides courses that teach life skills and allow people to bring out their inner child, like the adult coloring class.
“I think it definitely should get refunded,” said de Mahy. “They have free programs, free speeches that they do, and if you really just embrace the opportunities they give you, it’s really amazing.”
The voting will take place October 24th, and the staff at the libraries say that it does not matter whether you want to refund the library or not, just make sure you vote.
