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Why is it important to renew the levy?

Our Library is about more than books. It’s about access to technology, programs, and resources that foster a more informed, engaged, and successful community.

The Library helps create the kind of community we want to live in – where children hear stories and learn to love reading, where people use computers to write resumés and apply for work, where new skills are acquired. 

At the Library, everyone – no matter their background or financial status – has equal access to the power of information and community.

A child holds up a T-rex puppet over a book with a T-rex on the cover in the children's department of Eugene Public Library

What Will the Library Levy Fund?

The library is books, and so much more! Look at all the wonderful things your support of the levy makes possible.

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  • Extended hours, including weekends, at the Downtown location and the Bethel and Sheldon branches

  • Digital access, including public computers, internet, and Wi-Fi

  • Technology help and digital literacy support

  • Programs for children and families, including story times, early learning activities, and after school groups

  • New books and materials, both physical and digital, for all ages

  • Early Literacy Librarian position  

  • Storytime to Go, an outreach program for children

  • Updated and improved materials for youth

  • Two kiosks, where materials can be picked up and returned (one-time expense)

  • Online eBooks and streaming resources, available 24/7, including:

    • Libby - audiobooks and eBooks with more than 100,000 titles for all ages

    • Comics Plus - Comics, graphic novels, manga, picture books

    • Kanopy - Extensive collection of movies, documentaries, TV shows, and educational videos

    • Flipster - Dozens of bestselling and specialty eMagazines, identical to print issues

  • Ask a Librarian, where professionals are ready to help answer questions 24/7

  • Free services for library cardholders:

    • Brainfuse: Live homework help by professional tutors 24/7 in English or Spanish

    • CultureGrams: Information on the background, customs, and daily life of the world's peoples

    • Gale eBooks: Encyclopedias and reference eBooks on many subjects for all grade levels 

    • Gale Power Search: Peer-reviewed articles, full-text magazines, newspapers, and more

    • NoveList Plus: Reading lists of fiction and nonfiction by topic or reading level, including reviews

    • Pronunciator: Lessons for 160 languages

“The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.”

― Albert Einstein

The Library is a Great Value

Under Measure #20-381, the tax for the Library will increase from 15 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value to 19 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. The typical homeowner will pay $54 a year or $4.50 a month. (It’s important to note that assessed valuation is usually lower than the market value.)


The current levy costs the average homeowner $37 a year so this new levy represents an increase of $17 a year, or about $1.40 a month. This is the first time the levy amount has increased in more than 20 years and reflects adjustments for inflation and slightly expanded services. 


The levy comprises $4.3 million of the Library’s $17 million annual budget. Without the levy, the Library would lose $4.3 million in funding. A loss of that magnitude would cause irreparable harm to the people who rely on the Library for services – children, job-seekers, aspiring entrepreneurs, retirees. That’s the beauty of libraries – they are for everyone. 

 

Our Library, by the numbers (2025):

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  • 126,636 cardholders

  • 816,093 visitors 

  • 1,696,462 items checked out

  • 31,211 people attended 1,259 programs

  • 611,461 items in collection

A child is holding a book and reading while sitting on the floor against a shelf full of books in Eugene Public Library

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Local Option Levy?
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It is a local property tax that Eugene voters get to decide on. The library levy is limited to five years and can be renewed only if approved by voters.

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What does the levy pay for?

 

The levy funds almost a quarter (23%) of the Eugene Public Library’s total budget. The levy provides critical funding so the library and its branches can maintain their operating hours, plus provide access to digital resources and audio books, programs for kids and families, new books and other materials, along with all the services people rely on every day.

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What will we lose if we don’t pass the levy?
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Without the levy, the library would lose almost a quarter of its budget, or $4.3 million. The Library cannot withstand a loss of that magnitude without harming services. It would face significant cuts that would include:

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  • Reduced hours at all library locations

  • Fewer literacy enriching programs for children and families

  • Reduced access to technology, such as fewer public computers and less tech support

  • Loss of digital materials and new books. The city has no general funds allocated to purchase materials; the levy is the only available funding source.

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Simply put, without levy funding, the library will not be able to maintain current services.

 

What does the levy cost?
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The levy will cost 19 cents per $1,000 of assessed value of your home. The assessed value is lower than the home’s actual market value (or what it would sell for). The cost of the levy varies by household because Oregon property taxes vary by each individual home. That formula is set by Oregon’s property tax laws, not by the city. The typical Eugene homeowner will pay $54 a year, or $4.50 a month.

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Is the levy cost going up?
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Yes, the levy proposes an increase from 15 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation to 19 cents. (From 2015 to 2020 the rate was 17 cents per $1,000 but the rate dropped during the pandemic.) The increase covers the cost of new books and materials, expanded literacy programs for children, and higher overall costs due to inflation.

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Why do we need an additional tax?
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It’s important to keep in mind that taxpayers are already paying the majority of this tax through the existing levy. The current levy funds essential library services. The modest increase will fund important services such as new books and materials and expanded literacy programs for children. The Library’s budget has been steadily cut over the years due to the city’s budget shortfall; the levy helps maintain existing services and includes some small but critical program enhancements.

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What services to children and youth will the levy pay for?
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This is probably the most exciting thing about the 2026 levy. It will:

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  • Add a children’s librarian to focus on early literacy

  • Purchase new books and digital assets to strengthen early literacy

  • Restore the popular Storytime to Go program for young children.

 

The children’s librarian and the return of Storytime to Go give the Library its first chance in years to actively bring literacy programs to the community through outreach. The Library is a safe place for children and youth, offering after-school and summer programs.

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When is the election for the levy?
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The election is this May. Ballots will be mailed approximately May 1 and are due on May 19.

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Who can vote on the Library levy?
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All registered Eugene voters will receive a ballot in the mail. The deadline to register to vote is April 28. Ballot and registration questions should be directed to Lane County Elections.

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How can I support the campaign to renew the Library levy?
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This is a grassroots campaign – we welcome your help to get the word out! Encourage your friends to vote yes. Sign up on this website to:

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  • donate to our outreach efforts, including mailers

  • lend your name as an endorser

  • put up a yard sign

  • help us call or canvass voters

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