$12 million bond for new Chubbuck library up for vote

CHUBBUCK, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) - The Portneuf District Library has grown out of the original location and needs a new spot. To pay for it, they're asking North Bannock residents to vote 'yes' to a $12 million bond.

Since 2004, library card holders increase from 8,500 to now 18,000. The building, located on Stuart Avenue, can only accommodate 200 people at a time, but the popular programs at the library can draw even larger crowds.

“We’re really running out of space. We don’t have enough space for our collections, so we’re getting rid of things a lot faster than we should be," said Holly Jackson, library director.

A new 32,000 sq. ft building would provide space for a community room, makers space (with a 3D printer), teen area and a computer lab.

Several families without access to internet use the library's services to access online school work during the pandemic.

"This is something that betters the community as a whole whether or not you choose to come in and get a book or whether you order them on Amazon,” Jackson said.

To pay for the new library, a $12 million bond is on the November 3 ballot for North Bannock residents. Homeowners would pay an additional $56.39 per $100,000 of taxable home value. That amount would decrease as more residents move to the area.

To read more about the proposed bond, click here.