The Upper Arlington Public Library System (UAPL) was created by the passage of Ohio House Bill No. 494, which took effect December 11, 1967. The Library system is governed by a six-member, independent Board of Trustees appointed by the mayor of Upper Arlington. The trustees delegate the daily administration of the Library system to the Library Director and Administration Staff.

The City of UA is the library’s taxing authority at the local level. As of 2009 UAPL received 45% of its income from a 2 mill levy overwhelmingly passed by voters in 2007. This five year operating levy will expire at the end of 2012.

As of January 2008, Ohio’s public libraries were funded through 2.22% of the State’s total general tax revenue. This fund is called the Public Library Fund and is disbursed at the county level. UAPL is one of 7 libraries in Franklin County and receives 43% of its annual income from the Public Library Fund. Effective August 2009 the Public Library Fund has been temporarily reduced to 1.97% of the State’s total general tax revenue, resulting in an 11% loss in funding.

By law UAPL must serve all state residents on an equal basis. That the number of registered borrowers is approximately double the total population of the City of Upper Arlington clearly indicates that the actual service area of the Library system greatly exceeds the 9.159 square miles encompassed by the city limits.

The UAPL system is comprised of the Main Library, a 57,500 square foot facility located on Tremont Road near the geographic center of the city, the 10,000 square foot Lane Road Branch, approximately three miles to the north, and the 3,100 square foot Miller Park Branch, one and one half miles south near the center of Old Arlington.

For more information about the Upper Arlington Public Library, please visit their website at www.ualibrary.org