News

The Dansville Public Library Board of Trustees is seeking a motivated individual to fill a vacant seat on the Board of Trustees for a term of July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024.

Interested applicants must be at least 18 years of age, a US citizen, and a resident of the Dansville Central School District.

Interested parties should send a letter of interest to Board President Rhea Walker at 200 Main Street, Dansville NY 14437 by July 6, 2023.

About the Library & Board

Dansville Public Library is a school district public library, serving the residents of the Dansville Central School District.  The Board consists of five-members, each elected to a five-year term, beginning on July 1. Residents within the school district vote annually on the Library’s budget and to elect members to the Library’s Board of Trustees. When a vacancy occurs mid-term, the Board may appoint a member to fill the seat until the next annual election. The Library and the Library Board are independent of the School District and the School Board, however, the School District is responsible for the collection of the Library’s annual tax levy.

The Library Board has traditionally met the second Monday of each month at 4:00pm, at the Dansville Public Library. There are 12 regular meetings a year. Additionally, each board member may be asked to serve on a committee; committee meetings occur as needed.

Originally organized in 1872 as the Dansville Library Association, the Dansville Public Library was granted its charter as a school district public library in New York State in 1893. In 1920 the Shepard Homestead, located at the corner of Main and Perine Streets in the Village of Dansville, New York, was gifted to the Library. After necessary remodeling, the Library opened to the public in 1924. In 2011, a 9,000 square foot expansion project was completed to provide additional space for the community to gather and to house the library’s collection.

Today, Dansville Public Library houses more than 32,000 items and loans books, magazines, DVDs, fishing poles, and more. In 2022, the Library loaned more than 44,000 items and had over 3,000 registered borrowers.

The Friends of the Dansville Public Library’s Annual Book Sale will be held during Dogwood Week: Tuesday, May 16 through Saturday, May 20, during the Library’s regular hours of operation.

Each year, the Library holds an election for two purposes. The first is for approval of the proposed increase of the next fiscal year’s (FY) tax levy, or the additional amount requested to fund the Library through taxes. (The Library’s operating budget also includes income from other sources – including grants, gifts, interest, and fees – which are not subject to public vote.) The second purpose of the vote is to elect trustees to fill any vacancies on the Library Board.

The 2023-2024 Library vote was held on Tuesday, May 9, from 12pm-8pm in the Library’s Small Study Room 114.

The proposed tax levy for the 2023-2024 fiscal year is $593,739, an increase of $15,000 over the 2022-2023 approved levy amount. This increase is to cover the rising costs for minimum wage and building utilities.

Additionally, one individual is to be elected to fill one trustee seat on the Library’s Board of Trustees. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall serve on the Dansville Public Library Board of Trustees for a five-year term, commencing on July 1, 2023. The candidates are: Emily J. Wolf and Alise Rounsville.

To vote, you must be at least 18 years old, a U.S. citizen, a resident of the Dansville Central School District, and not otherwise disqualified from voting under Election Law § 5-106.

On May 9, 2023, voters of the Dansville Central School District will elect one individual to fill one trustee seat on the Dansville Public Library’s Board of Trustees. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall serve on the Dansville Public Library Board of Trustees for a five-year term, commencing on July 1, 2023.

Prospective candidates may request nominating petitions at the Dansville Public Library main desk, 200 Main St. Dansville, NY 14437.

Nominating petitions must be signed by at least 25 qualified district voters and must be received by the Library Director not later than 5:00 p.m. on April 7, 2023. The election will be held May 9, 2023.

Prospective Library Trustee Candidate Information Packet

Libby now offers a new feature that helps you find all the content you’re looking for, even if it’s not yet in our digital collection.

In Libby, there are two ways to discover titles that are not yet in our digital collection:

1. If you search for a title, author, or series and it returns no results, Libby will automatically expand into a “deep search” to display relevant titles that are not yet in our collection.
2. If you run a search that returns fewer than 100 results, you can tap the filter button ( ) to manually enable “deep search.”

From the expanded search, you will see relevant results with a Notify Me option. Tap Notify Me to tag titles and be notified if they are added to our library’s digital collection in the future.

Learn more on Libby Help.

This position has been filled as of 5/1/2023.

The Dansville Public Library has an open Library Page position.

The Part-time Page is a 12-15 hour per week position. Applicants should be personable, enjoy working with people of all ages, have an interest in books and reading, and have excellent written, verbal, & computer skills. Applicants also need to be able to stand for long periods, to reach and bend, and must have a flexible schedule, with readiness to work evenings and weekends.

For more information, please see the Page Job Description.

Employment Application Form – also available at the Dansville Public Library main desk.

To Apply
Send completed applications to Margo Prak, Library Director: dansvillelibrarydirector@owwl.org or deliver to:
200 Main Street
Dansville, NY 14437

This position has been filled as of 5/1/2023.

**The Questionnaire is now closed.**

Thank you to everyone who participated! Your responses will help guide us in making decisions for the Library’s future!

Check out the Questionnaire responses: 2022 Library Patron Questionnaire Responses

Your opinion matters!

Please help us by taking this short questionnaire! Let us know your thoughts and perceptions about the Dansville Public Library over the past year! We continually work to provide great materials and services, and your feedback is valuable in helping us determine how well we are meeting our community’s needs.

Your answers are anonymous and will be used to help improve future library services.

A paper version of this questionnaire is also available in the Library, at the circulation desk. Please feel free to complete it online or to come in and complete it in-person.

The questionnaire will close on Saturday, December 31, 2022. A summary of the questionnaire results will be available online and in the Library by the end of January 2023.

We truly appreciate your insight and your time. Thank you!

For more information, check out our Fine Free Frequently Asked Questions page!

With a library card you can discover new and exciting worlds! From borrowing books to downloading audiobooks to researching your ancestry, there is so much you can access with a library card. Pursue your passions and dreams through Dansville Public Library’s resources and programs.

Join the fun by getting your own library card today!

For a limited time, sign-up for an OWWL Library Card and choose our standard card or key tag OR the Special Edition Kids Card featuring Booklet!

Sign-up ONLINE

If you do not already have an OWWL library card and you either: Are a full- or part-time resident of Ontario, Wayne, Wyoming, or Livingston Counties in New York State; attend school in these counties; or pay property taxes in these counties, you can start your request for an OWWL library card online, by submitting the Request a Library Card Form.