HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — Garland County's local library's fate is in its residents' hands after an organized group started a petition to reduce the library's funding.
Residents could face Amendment 38 in November, a proposal to reduce the millage dedicated to the library.
However, before the final ruling, Garland County officials created a public forum Wednesday morning to hear from those who supported and opposed it.
Many who attended supported keeping the millage where it is by leaving public comments like, "I love our library and support it."
Others recognized all the library resources and said they would be too valuable to lose.
"There are a lot of families that rely heavily upon this library, and we talk about broadband all the time, and we have families that don't even have a computer," One Garland County resident said.
The person leading the petition was not at Wednesday's meeting, court officials cited a family matter.
Despite not showing up, the court said they would receive the group's petition as is. So far, they've collected 101 signatures, which is enough to be placed on the November ballot.
Garland County Library Executive Director Adam Webb said if this is approved, it will cause a 40% reduction in the library's operating budget but hopes the community will take the support for the library to the polls.
"It certainly seems like library funding is becoming a mechanism for people who want to impose their own morality and opinions on the library, which is there to serve everybody," Webb said.
Petitioners have said this is a "tax issue only," but Webb speculates there are other reasons behind it, though he didn't share the different reasons.
The Garland County judge expects to make a ruling by the end of the week.