Funding Information

How was the building project funded?

-In 2022 the library received 5.6 million dollars in ARPA funds to construct the new library

-The state of Delaware generously matches 50% of building costs through Bond Bill to meet construction goals

-There was also over $500,000 from previous building projects that were raised in fundraising

-We also received 466,000 from the Delaware Community Reinvestment Fund

How is the library currently funded?

-The Harrington Public Library is a municipal library run by the City of Harrington. Funding comes from three main sources for the library’s daily operation:

The City of Harrington
The State of Delaware
Library Tax District Funds

What is a library tax district?

–A tax district would be part of your county property taxes, and all revenue generated from the Library Tax District will go to support the operations of the library. This includes paying the professional staff, maintaining and expanding collections, community programs, utilities, supplies, insurance, and other expenses.

How Much will the Tax Be?

–Residents of Kent County, outside the city of Harrington, already pay a library tax to the county of $0.033/$100 of assessed value on their property. Instead of this money going to other Kent County libraries, the funds would come directly to the only public library located in the Lake Forest School District. Property taxpayers who reside in the Lake Forest School District would pay roughly $0.033/$100 of assessed value to help cover the cost of a modern library in our community.