Templeton Library, a volunteer-run library beloved by locals, will not get the more than $300,000 in local tax dollars its supporters requested.
The Templeton Community Library operates solely on funds from donors and fundraisers, and the efforts of volunteers.
“It’s a joy. I can say that the volunteers that we have that give their soul for this library is a complete… this is our happy place,” said Templeton Library Association President Melinda Reed. “The problem that we have is that, in doing the fundraising that we also have to do, we're not only operating the library, we're fundraising to keep the lights on.”
Collectively, the residents of Templeton pay roughly $318,000 in taxes per year that go toward helping run the 14 other San Luis Obispo County libraries.
The Templeton Library Association asked the County Board of Supervisors to redirect those funds to their local institution.
But that will not happen.
“It was stunning to me,” said Templeton Library Association Vice President and volunteer Nancy Whitt. “I mean, in the beginning you go in and I thought this is a no-brainer; it's the right thing. Everybody you talked to go, you know, ‘I can't believe that.’”
After the county’s ad-hoc library committee told supervisors that redirecting the money would hurt other county branches, the request was denied.
“If we have to remove $318,000 a year, other library branches — and we heard this from the other libraries, Friends of the Libraries, and the foundation folks — other libraries would probably have to reduce hours, or there would be less personnel, or things like that would happen countywide,” said District 1 SLO County Supervisor John Peschong.
In 2022, locals opened Templeton’s privately funded library because the nearest county library is in Atascadero.
“Our students cannot walk or bike to Atascadero,” Reed said. “It's seven miles away and there's no connector trail. There is no way to get to Atascadero without going on the freeway.”
According to the ad-hoc committee’s report, the Atascadero library is being used by Templeton residents, citing that more than 21,000 items were borrowed in the past year.
“Only 9,823 of them are physical initial checkouts, whereas Templeton Community Library, this library association, is checking out 12,835 books a year,” Reed argued.
Regardless of being self-funded, coupled with the denial of their request, the library is thriving and is viewed as a gem by many locals who avidly support the community gathering spot.
“I think it’s amazing what they have done being all volunteer-run, all donation-supported, but I would just love to see funding to keep it going forever!” said Templeton Library patron Toni Ulrich.
With or without the county’s help, that’s the plan.
“You know, we won’t live forever, but I would like the library to,” Whitt said. “Who could ask for more than that?”
