Referendum Information

We've Outgrown Our Space

O'Fallon Public Library is facing a challenge that comes from being well-used: our community has grown, and the library can’t keep pace in our current facility. As the city's population has doubled over the past three decades, the demand for library services, programs, and space has grown right along with it. We are out of room. 

Today, the building no longer provides enough space for the number of residents who use its services and attend its programs. Patrons, families and children are turned away from programs they want to join, left to wait for a later opportunity. Multipurpose space, quiet study and work spaces, children's areas, and meeting rooms are stretched beyond capacity.

Without action, this overcrowding will continue to limit what the library can, and should, offer the community it was built to serve.

A Responsible Investment Solution

With years of careful financial planning, O'Fallon Public Library has identified a smart, responsible path forward.

The proposed bond would fund a new library that is the right size for our community:

• More than twice the space
• 3× the space for the children's area
• More quiet study and work areas
• Flexible multi-purpose rooms
• Makerspaces and creative areas
• Adaptable spaces for future needs

Click or tap for a deeper look at Comparing Spaces.

The library has already saved $5 million, which will be used to offset the overall project cost, reducing the amount that needs to be financed. For a median-valued O'Fallon home, the estimated additional cost is approximately $127 per year, or about $10.60 per month. Use the calculator below to estimate the impact for your home.

Studies show that expanding and updating a public library is a responsible use of public dollars, delivering educational, technological, and community benefits shared by everyone in the community. This proposal reflects extensive community engagement and planning, focused on a facility that is practical, efficient, and built for long-term value.

Building on What Makes O'Fallon Special

This bond proposal is ultimately about maintaining what residents value most about living in O'Fallon.

Our library is more than a building that houses books. It's a gathering place, a learning center, a technology hub, and a source of community pride. It serves children, families, students, seniors, entrepreneurs, and lifelong learners alike, bringing people together and enriching everyday life for all.

Just as previous generations invested in the community assets we rely on today, this is our opportunity to invest in a library that will serve future generations of O'Fallon residents. Doing so ensures O'Fallon continues to be the kind of place where people want to live, work, and raise families for decades to come.

74% of tax dollars are allocated to local schools (including Southwestern Community College), 24% of tax dollars are allocated to city and county services, and 2% of tax dollars are allocated to the O'Fallon Public Library.

These materials were paid for by the O’Fallon Public Library. These materials are intended solely to disseminate and provide factual information about a question that will be before voters. These materials are not intended to advocate, support, oppose, or defeat the measure. Each voter should vote for or against the question based on their own judgment.