UNION — A critical chapter in the saga of the Union Carnegie Public Library is about to be written. The chapter could leave the library’s immediate financial future in solid condition or as fragile as some of the oldest books in the Library of Congress.

Union voters will determine the outcome of the chapter during the Tuesday, Nov. 8, mail election when voters will decide on a five-year option levy for the library.

The option levy would raise enough for the library to be able maintain its present staff and its level of service, according to Union City Administrator Doug Wiggins.

The option levy would cost property owners about $1.05 for each $1,000 of assessed property value. This means the owner of a $100,000 home would pay $105 a year for the levy.

The levy would replace a five-year option levy for the library that will expire June 30, 2023. That levy costs property owners $1.21 per $1,000 of assessed value.

Wiggins said if the levy is not approved, the city couldn’t afford to be able to draw anything close to enough money from its general fund to make up for the money it would lose. To do this it would have to cut funding from street maintenance and other services, something Wiggins said the city is not in a position to do.

The city administrator said the library’s staff, which now has one full-time and one part-time position, would likely be trimmed to only one part-time position. The library’s hours would probably also be trimmed, from 38 hours a week to a far smaller number. Wiggins said the library might be open only one or two days a week.

Presently, the library is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday.

Wiggins said the Union City Council does not want to be in a position to have to cut back library services.

“Our city council believes the library is important to the community. It would hate to see its services cut back because it has received such great support from the community in the past,” he said.

Union City Councilor Sue Hawkins said the council is very supportive of the library but agrees that the city does not have enough money to fund its operation.

Hawkins is glad the library’s board agreed to recommend to the council the levy be lowered to $1.05 per $1,000 of assessed property from the current $1.21 level. Hawkins said this will enhance the levy’s chance of passing and would allow the library to maintain its current level of service.

The library was built in 1912 with funds from the foundation of famed industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. It is one of more than 1,600 Carnegie libraries built in the United States, 32 of which were constructed in Oregon, according to a story by author and historian Finn J.D. John on his website “Offbeat Oregon History.” Today, Union’s library is the last remaining one in the state that still has the same structure and serves as a library, according to the city of Union’s website.

Tiffany Derichsweiler, director of the Union Carnegie Library, said the library receives major use. It was used by patrons for services 1,300 times in July and 624 times in September. She said summer usage is generally higher than in the fall.

The library’s contents include more than 11,000 books and 5,000 DVDs, said library officials.

Union resident Randy Knop is a big fan of the library.

Knop, a former member of the Union City Council, said the library “elevates the community so much more than most citizens realize.”

On Nov. 8, voters will cast their preferences in the midterm election. But to do so, they need to register by Oct. 18, and the following day ballots start going out.