By Hannah Poling
Staff Writer
Southwest Public Libraries Director Meredith Wickham attended the October Westland Area Commission meeting to clear up any confusion over a Columbus Metropolitan Library levy ad campaign that was distributed to local residents.
Wickham said that approximately 10,000 households received a mailing about a library levy (Issue 16). Southwest Public Libraries does not have a levy on the November ballot. The library levy on the ballot (Issue 16) is for the Columbus Metropolitan Library system.
Residents will not pay for two library levies.
“Despite any mailing you may have received, if you live in the South-Western City School District, you pay for SPL’s library levy and only SPL’s library levy. You will not see a new library levy on your November ballot nor pay CML’s library levy,” said a release on the SPL website. “You can verify if you are in the South-Western City Schools District through the Franklin County Auditor’s site. If it lists “South-Western CSD” as your school district, you pay SPL and not CML’s library levy.”
Southwest Public Libraries had a levy that was renewed by the voters of its service area with strong support in 2020, Wickham said.
Assistant Director of the Westland Area Library Denise Southworth also highlighted to the commissioners the many services that the Southwest Public Libraries provides to residents including discovery passes for local museums and attractions, printing services, story times, book sales, as well as many options for both youth and adult programming.
For more information, visit swpl.org.
