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Johnson County Public Library pauses White River branch renovation as state law changes library funding
Summary
Johnson County Public Library director Lisa Littner told the council May 12 that planned renovation and modest expansion of the White River branch is on pause because of Senate Enrolled Act 1 (SEA 1). She warned that a change to local income tax distribution set to take effect in 2028 could remove 40% of the library’s budget and would require the
Lisa Littner, director of the Johnson County Public Library, told the Johnson County Council on May 12 that the planned renovation and slight expansion of the White River branch is on pause because recent state legislation (referred to in the presentation as Senate Enrolled Act 1) requires the library district to reassess funding and how local income tax (LIT) distributions will be handled going forward.
“Tonight’s presentation was planned at one time to be the White River branch update,” Littner said. “But with recent, state legislation, we are putting this project on pause.” Littner said a Franklin College student survey of almost 300 local residents found the top three priorities for the White River site would be a dynamic early-childhood learning space, increased comfortable seating, and—unexpectedly—a nature trail in woods behind the branch.
Littner reviewed how JCPL is funded and why she said the pause matters: roughly half of JCPL’s budget comes from property taxes and about 40% comes from local income taxes. She warned the distribution method for local income tax will change beginning in 2028 and that all library districts in the county will need to petition the county council for LIT distribution. “That is 40% of our budget,” Littner told the council, and if LIT is reduced the library could face staff layoffs, reduced hours, branch closures or cuts to programs and purchases.
The presentation summarized core services the library provides to residents, including early-childhood programs, STEAM camps and support for home-school families, outreach to older residents (including an AARP tax-prep partnership), circulating nontraditional items (museum and pool passes, tools and musical instruments), meeting-room services, free basic notary and free internet access. Littner reported JCPL had about 410,000 visits and 1.3 million items borrowed in the previous year, and she described the library’s fundraising and foundation support for special projects such as author events and potential capital improvements.
Littner asked the council to note the pause and said the library will need to engage the council in the petition process for local income tax distributions in 2027 for implementation in 2028. She offered to provide tours and further details to council members and said the library will continue planning while awaiting clarity on state-level funding changes.
Action requested/prompted: informational update; no council vote on the White River project was taken. Library staff said they will pause the capital project and monitor fiscal and statutory developments, and will bring any formal petition or funding requests to the council as required by law.
Contact: Littner invited council members to request tours and follow-up contact for details on the White River plans and the library’s budget projections.
