Library Millage Continuation

Embracing Tradition

Enhancing Tomorrow

Library Millage Continuation Election March 29, 2025

⭐The millage provides 96% of the Library’s funding
⭐The Library is asking for $3,000,000 less per year (1 mill less going forward)

12 branches

Serving 273,263 residents in
St. Tammany Parish

Since June 1950, the St. Tammany Parish Library has been the cornerstone for lifelong learning, an archive of local history, and a beacon for community gatherings. Over the decades the Library has grown in size, branches, number of resources and materials, and services provided to patrons.

On March 29, 2025, voters will decide the future of the St. Tammany Parish Library.

Your Community. Your Stories. Your Library.

2024 Library Achievements

1,006,741

Total Circulation

602,675

Patron Visits

169,175

Wireless Use

88,876

Event Attendance

1,031

community events hosted

96% of all library funding is provided by the property tax millage.

The Library provides services to patrons at 40% less per capita than the state average.
(Source: 2023 State Library Statistical Report, opens a new window)

For every $1 invested in your Library, $1.65 is returned to the community.
(Source: SELU Economic Impact Study, opens a new window)

Library Road Map

Your Library’s road map is focused on completing the vision and mission, opens a new window of enriching and enhancing the quality of life for every resident of St. Tammany Parish.

The Road So Far...

Since 2013, all branches have received renovations to keep up with the needs of this parish. This includes: HVAC and lighting upgrades, furniture replacement, and exterior and interior overhauls.

Major Branch Improvements

Replacement of Madisonville Branch after damage from Hurricane Katrina (2013)

South Slidell Branch purchase and build out (2016)

Covington Branch Renovation (2019)

Mandeville Branch Roof Replacement (2021)

Installation of Study Pods at the Covington and Slidell Branches (2025)

The Madisonville Library was renamed to the Peter L. “Pete” Gitz Library, opens a new window in 2017 to honor the town's longtime mayor who was instrumental in the donation of 1.5 acres to assist with the build of the replacement branch.

The South Slidell branch's held it's grand opening on September 24, 2016, opens a new window. The new branch offered the residents of Slidell additional community space and access to a new technological hub. This location is often used for Friends of the Slidell Library Summer Concerts.

The 30+ year old, Covington Library  was in dire need of renovations in 2018, opens a new window. The branch received extensive renovations that included a complete HVAC overhaul, upgraded restrooms, the addition of three study rooms, a quiet reading room, and an activity room. The grand opening was held on February 5, 2020., opens a new window

The Road Ahead

The launch of the 13th branch, the Mobile Library. Along with starting the books-by-mail service for homebound residents, the Mobile Library will bring the library to patrons. At first, this service will be dedicated to visiting COAST and Senior Assisted Living locations and in the future will expand to other parts of the parish.

The purchase of the land for the Lacombe branch was approved in 2024 and funds are earmarked in savings to develop a brand new and larger replacement library for the Lacombe area.

Not everyone is able to travel to their nearest branch. To bring resources to the parish’s homebound residents – the Library has started the ground work to launch a Books-by-Mail service. Service will start early this year.

The Library is sprinting to a new frontier – on wheels. The mobile library branch will be the 13th branch and will bring the library to patrons. In partnership with COAST, the library will soft launch this service by visiting COAST centers.

As the years have passed, the parish has grown, and Lacombe has outgrown its cozy library. Land was purchased for the Lacombe branch located across the highway of its current location. The new branch will be larger, overlooking the Tammany Trace, opens a new window and will bring meeting and study rooms to the area of Lacombe.

Taxing Bodies In St. Tammany Parish

Taxing Body Tax Dollars

(by Percentage)

Schools 44.4%
Law Enforcement 7.9%
Fire District 1 6.9%
Fire District 4 4.9%
Library 4.1%
Mosquito District 2 2.4%
Fire District 12 2.3%
City of Slidell 2.1%
Coroner's Millage 2%
Florida Parish Juvenile Center 1.9%
All Other Taxing Bodies 21.2%

Top 10 Taxing Bodies 2024 information provided by the St. Tammany Parish Assessor’s Office

Did You Know?

The Library’s millage vote is March 29, 2025

The millage provides 96% of the Library’s funding

The Library is asking for 4.35 mills, which is $3,000,000 less per year

 lower library millage rate

If your home’s fair market value is $100,000, 10 percent of fair market value is $10,000 - your assessed value.

If you have applied and are eligible for Homestead Exemption, subtract $7,500 for a taxable value of $2,500.

The lower millage rate is 4.35 mills (A mill is 1/1000th of one cent.), multiply the taxable value by 0.00435 to arrive at the annual cost of the Library.

For a home valued at $100,000 the calculation is as follows:

  • $100,000 * .10= $10,000
  • $10,000 – $7,500 = $2,500
  • $2,500 * 0.00435 = $10.88

The Annual Cost of the Library’s millage for a $100,000 home with homestead exemption is $10.88.

For a $300,000 home, the tax cost per week for the Library, $1.88, is less than the cost of a cup of coffee.

Millage Passes

✅ Library will be fully funded for the next 15 years

✅ Uninterrupted continuation of services

✅ Replacement Lacombe Library

✅ Slidell Library roof replacement, renovation, and expansion

✅ Technology Upgrade: system-wide RFID to allow for more efficient service, materials security, and improved inventory

Millage Fails

❌ Library will not receive any funding from 2025 tax rolls

❌ Remaining Fund Balance will be redirected to cover all operational costs of the Library in 2026

❌ NO Replacement Lacombe Library

❌ Slidell Library will have roof repaired but NO expansion or renovation 

❌ NO Technology Upgrade

Frequently Asked Questions

Saturday, March 29, 2025.

Early voting is March 15 through March 22 from 8:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Library News and Updates

A community meeting, called by the Parish Council, was held on March 20, 2024, in the Parish Council Chambers at 21490 Koop Dr, Mandeville, LA 70471. The Library presented and two outside organizations were invited to present as well as it relates to the Library and the residents of St. Tammany Parish.

Meeting Notice, opens a new window | Meeting Agenda, opens a new window | Watch the Meeting, opens a new window

Library Presentation - PDF

January 2, 2024, the Library launched enhanced options, opens a new window for children’s Library cards. In November 2022, minor card level options, opens a new window were first introduced to patrons and the Library continued to build upon that foundation based on the requests and needs of parents and guardians.

Learn more about all the levels of access you can choose for your child’s Library card here, opens a new window.

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