The History of Thrall

held a two part referendum to assume full control over Thrall
including responsibility to pay for its services. The board wanted to raise the district's tax limit by 1/4% for additional
taxing power to account for the budget of the library. Part one
passed creating the enlarged city school district public library,
but part two, raising the 'tax limit did not. Consequently the
- city and the school district sat down to try and work something
out financially. The city, wanting out of its financial responsibilities for Thrall Library, negotiated a declining
payment over five years. By the mid 1970's the City phased out
its contribution to the Library's budget. Because the tax limit had not been increased these were lean years for Thrall which had
to work with a very small acquisitions budget. The Library
trustees in 1970 had applied for and received a charter from the
State. From 1970 there has been a separate, elected Board of
Library Trustees. (Before then Thrall was a public 11brary, but
not a chartered public library.) The Library Board prepared its
budget, but the school district would tell the Library Board the
amount they were going to be given. The Library Board had to work within tight school district control. 27
The situation has improved a little because tax limitations
were declared unconstitutional in the 1980's, and voters in small