Teton County voters will decide if they are willing to pay more in property taxes to pay for a branch of the Valley of the Tetons Library in the city.

The temporary two-year levy would add $16.08 per $100,000 in property value, that’s on top of the $16.08 per $100,000 that county residents pay per year for the library district.

Librarian Susie Blair said if the levy passes, the library plans on “signing a lease the next day.” She said they already have a tentative location picked out.

“Right now the optimal location would be Dark Horse Books,” Blair said, referring the bookstore on Driggs’ main street, which closed in the fall of 2012.

The branch would include four or five computers as well as two computers specifically intended for children. Blair said the library doesn’t know yet exactly how many books would be in the branch library but did say they would fit “however many books we can stuff into Dark Horse.”

The Valley of the Tetons Library held an online survey to change support for the branch. Of the 457 respondents, 304 were in favor of the new branch with 153 opposed.

Driggs Community Development Director Doug Self said the city of Driggs has also polled residents about their support for a library. He said that included a poll when the city was deciding what to do with the building that is now the new Driggs City Center, “a library was a strong contender in that mix.” Self said a community review last year by representatives from state agencies, universities and nonprofits recommended that a library would be a good next step for Driggs.

Self said that he supports the new levy as a Driggs resident but could understand why some in Victor may not be so supportive, given they already have a library. Though he said the new branch could lead to less crowding at the Victor library, and more books for both locations.

Driggs Mayor Hyrum Johnson said he also supports the new library saying that, “personally I have three young kids and I would love to have a library in riding distance.” He added that he’s not comfortable sending them up Ski Hill Road to the Alta library or to the Victor library by themselves.

The question is on the ballot for the May election. Blair said the library wouldn’t start getting money from the levy till January of 2015, but they would use existing funds to start work on the branch immediately if the levy passes, with it opening sometime in the summer. Blair said hopefully on July 4.

This story appeared in the Teton Valley News on January 16, 2014.