The Southwest Public Libraries (SPL) provides services to the entirety of the South Western City School district via the Grove City Public Library and the Westland Area Library. The SPL Board of Trustees has placed a 1.0-mill levy, Issue 2, on the May 2026 ballot. You can learn more at www.SWPL.org/about/faqs. 

Our Grove City and Westland Area Libraries are busier than ever.

• Nearly half of the entire population of the SPL District has a library card.

• SPL regularly circulates over a million materials a year.

• Nearly a thousand people visit our SPL libraries each day they are open.

SPL is important for our quality of life, the education of our children, and to keep pace with a changing world.

• Tens of thousands of local citizens of every age, background, and walk of life use our Grove City and Westland Area libraries.

• Residents of all ages use our libraries’ Wi-Fi access and public computers to find jobs, access data, and do schoolwork.

• Thousands of local children use our libraries every year for reading programs, tutoring, and other learning opportunities.

• Meeting rooms and copying, printing, scanning, and faxing services support local businesses and community groups.

Our SPL communities need this levy, Issue 2, to restore and improve important library services.

• State library funding is at the same level – dollar per dollar without adjustments for inflation – as it was nearly 25 years ago.

• Our libraries have gone 15 years without any additional local funding.

• The cost of Issue 2 is less than $3/month per $100,000 of property market value, according to the county auditor.

Without Issue 2, the cuts put in place after the November 2024 levy failure – including less access to the library in the mornings, after work or school, and on weekends; longer wait periods for books; fewer programs for kids and seniors; and less library staff to help patrons – will remain, and additional cost-savings measures will likely be implemented.

With the passage of Issue 2, our libraries can:

• Restore morning, evening, and weekend hours at both locations.

• Bring back outreach for those residents who struggle to get to the library.

• Add back discontinued programs and classes for children, adults, and seniors.

• Upgrade and offer more e-resources and technology that our community members need.

• Buy books at previous levels, so patrons don’t have to wait as long for the titles they want to read.

Vote FOR the Southwest Public Libraries levy.

Our Libraries for Today and Tomorrow.

Early voting begins April 7. Election Day is May 5.