Under Chapter 414 of NYS Education Law 259, the Elting Memorial Library will hold a vote this fall. On November 4, 2025, there will be a proposition on the ballot for the general election. This proposition will ask the following:

SHALL THE ANNUAL CONTRIBUTION OF THE TOWN OF NEW PALTZ PROVIDED IN ITS BUDGET FOR THE ELTING MEMORIAL LIBRARY, A FREE ASSOCIATION LIBRARY, LOCATED AT NEW PALTZ, NEW YORK, BE INCREASED BY SEVENTY FIVE THOUSAND ($75,000) DOLLARS ANNUALLY TO EIGHT HUNDRED FORTY FOUR THOUSAND ($844,000) DOLLARS ANNUALLY?

The vote will be held on Tuesday, November 4, 2025. You can vote in your normal polling facility.

For additional information contact the Ulster Board of Elections.

Libraries are FREE to use, but not free to operate. Costs continuing to rise for things like staff health coverage, contractor services, and materials means that normal overall operations continue to increase. Digital materials such as ebooks and audiobooks cost more for libraries than for a regular consumer. It adds up!

Additionally, Elting currently needs to:

• assess its collections and services

• attend to deferred maintenance of the historic building

WHO needs libraries? Everyone! Libraries are busier than ever. Elting is no exception. With online resources available, and a new library app, materials are available to you at home and on the go. There are public computers, wifi, printing and faxing available every day. There are programs for all ages, and study rooms to book for a meeting or a quiet place to work. Unique items such as Library of Things, Library of Local, and the Haviland-Heidgerd Historical Collection make Elting special.

The library employs between 14 and 16 individuals who provide direct services to the public.  Volunteers provide assistance with a variety of tasks.

Learn more about the Board of Trustees.

With 4,971 households (according to the U.S. Census for 2021), a $75,000 increase means about a $15 annual tax increase per household. Basically, the increase amounts to $1.25 per month per household.

The increase helps Elting continue to provide quality services, programs, and materials to the community. This includes access to online and local resources, special collections such as the zines and library of things, and our historical collection.

Unfortunately the increasing costs of materials, benefits, and library usage is making it difficult to continue to provide the same level of service. The library would work hard to meet the community’s needs but it would have to make adjustments. Hard decisions might include reduced hours, programming, purchases, and services.

The money goes back to our community in the form of services and resources. Our staff is probably our biggest resource. They are the ones who help connect patrons with what they need.