Voters approved in a special election Sept. 11, by a 182-65 count, to expand the district, according to Leavenworth County Clerk Linda Scheer’s final numbers.

Voter turnout was about 9 percent.

Previously, the library’s district included some of Sherman Township, which includes Linwood, and parts of Reno Township, which is west of Sherman. In the past, residents in the townships who were not included in the district paid taxes to the Northeast Kansas Library System in Lawrence.

With the vote, all library taxation will go to the Linwood Library rather than NEKLS.

“It was a pretty good turnout,” said Linwood Library director Sue Peavy. “The results were very gratifying to us. And I think this speaks well of the library and the history that the library has here.”

Peavy said that the library currently receives NEKLS funding, but that eventually will cease.

Jim Minges, NEKLS director, said the Linwood Library receives grant money annually from NEKLS, but that funding will continue to decrease and likely will cease in 2010, as the group is phasing out funding to district libraries.

This year, the Linwood Library is set to receive a total of about $10,500 in grant money from NEKLS.

Minges said he expected that the Linwood Library would receive tax money from new members of its reformed district in 2009.

And, residents who previously were not part of the Linwood Library District also will continue to pay taxes to the NEKLS in 2009 and 2010, per state regulations, Minges said. That means they likely will pay taxes to both entities for two years before paying taxes solely toward the Linwood Library beginning in 2011.

“The reason for this is to ensure that adequate taxes are levied locally, but also to get an adequate basis for us making any changes in our program required by budgetary loss.”

Peavy said the increased tax revenue would go toward various projects at the library, including the possibility of expansion.

“With the revenue we can address some of those space issues we have at the library,” Peavy said.

Peavy also stressed those changes would be up to the library board to decide.