Supporters of a property tax levy increase say three new libraries in the county would bring a library within 10 miles of most people in Christian County.

The library says while the county has grown in population, the library system hasn't grown with it, and it's time to expand.

Wanting to check-out non-fiction books brings Gisela Kern from Sparta to the Christian County Library in Ozark two to three times a week.

"They're wonderful. If they don't have a book they get it for me and they've done that numerous times," Kern said.

The library wants to not only continue good service for people like Kern, but also expand and provide even better service.

"Operating a single location we have a building that is a little better than 10,000 square feet, however the people cannot always make it here with us just having a single location. There are places within the county that are more than 30 miles from their library," Christian County Library Director Mabel Phillips said.

The library wants to build three new libraries to accommodate more people.

"We can't become stagnant as a library. We have to grow and meet community needs," Elizabeth Barns, a Friend of the Library, said.

The library district would build one main library between Nixa and Ozark and two smaller ones on each side of the county in Sparta and Clever.

But, it needs voters to pass a levy increase to proceed.

"You will be paying about ten cents a day to build and operate three facilities," Phillips said.

The levy would go from 8.7 cents to 25 cents per 100 dollar assessed valuation, raising taxes about $34 a year on a $100,000 home.

Kern says she would be willing to pay.

"I would be willing to do that because I know it's important," Kern said.

The library says raising the levy to a quarter would bring the Christian County district in line with others of similar size.

The three new libraries would cost $11 million.

Since the Christian County Library opened sixty years ago, there has only been one levy increase.

The levy issue is on November’s ballot.