Ballot referendum seeks to cut Norwin Public Library's funding

IRWIN, Pa. (KDKA) - Voters in several Westmoreland County communities have an important ballot referendum about how the Norwin Public Library is funded in the upcoming election. 

The ballot question is pretty simple: should a library tax pertaining to three communities be reduced from 1.2 mill to 0.2 mill? Those in favor of it say it's about time the library starts paying for itself. Those against say it could very well doom the library.

At its heart, the ballot initiative comes down to this: there's a group of people who believe the tax to maintain the library in Norwin should be reduced.

The great American writer Sidney Sheldon once said, "Libraries store the energy that fuels the imagination." According to some, the Norwin Public Library is no exception.

"Coming into the library at least a couple of times a month," said Joseph Matthews. "We've done story time, we love it. Gives us a place to go, we come a few times a month. She loves to read."

However, the upcoming election will see a question on the ballot asking residents in North Huntingdon, Irwin and North Irwin if their library tax should be cut from 1.2 mill to 0.2 mill. A group calling itself Friends of the Norwin Library Reform is behind the measure asking voters to vote yes to cut the tax, calling it a burden on taxpayers and saying the library isn't needed as much now thanks to cell phones and laptops.

"If this group is successful, the library would close in three or four years, I'd imagine," said Norwin Public Library Director Diana Falk.

Falk says the measure is misleading, saying the library tax shouldn't be a burden if you break it down to this: "Twenty-two dollars per household. So each household could buy a larger pizza."

But if the measure is passed, Falk said the library would lose half its budget. 

"We're open 54 hours a week," Falk said. "We'd have to cut down hours, staffing and collection development. There's no area of the library services that wouldn't be impacted with this cut."

KDKA reached out to Friends of the Norwin Library Reform for their take on the issue and is awaiting a response. 

For Falk and many others KDKA spoke to, a yes vote will sink the intellectual lifeboat the library is to many residents.

"Even if you don't use the library yourself, you make the community a better place not only for your children and grandchildren but for generations to come," Falk said.

The election is Nov. 8.