O’Fallon considers $22M new library; voters could decide on bond referendum

The O’Fallon Library Board will decide at its June meeting whether to forward a proposal for a new $22 million library to the City Council for approval.

If council members sign off on the plan, a bond referendum to fund the project would appear on the Nov. 3 ballot.

An informational open house is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. April 23 at the Public Safety Building.

Convincing the public to support a tax increase is top of mind for organizers, Johnson said. The open house will include a welcome table and stations where residents can talk with municipal bond specialists from Bernardi Securities about taxes; representatives from FMG Architects and Holland Construction; and members of the Library Board and library staff.

“People can pop in and out, no set presentation. We want to give people all the information, so they can make up their own mind,” said Library Director Ryan Johnson. “This is so no one is surprised. We don’t want people to come back in the fall of 2026 and say, ‘this is the first I’ve heard of it.’”

A community initiative, Together O’Fallon Be a Part of What’s Next, held sessions in November 2025 and in February and March 2026 to measure expectations for the public library.

The 2022 library master plan said space is insufficient at the current library, 120 Civic Plaza. Events fill up quickly, study rooms and seating are limited, and outdoor seating is lacking, the master plan said. Workshop feedback supported a “one-stop destination” for learning, creativity and connection.

“We found out people want the same things we do – more room, better sound for privacy, and usable green space,” he said.

Potential location

The master plan identified two approaches: expand the current site or build elsewhere.

An addition of 6,000 square feet was not considered cost-effective and would not resolve key challenges, such as location, outdoor space and long-term growth, Johnson said.

The second option is a new 38,000-square-foot facility intended to meet current needs and future demands.

Johnson said a city-owned site on Seven Hills Road next to the Public Safety Building is a leading option, which would avoid land acquisition. He said the plan could use existing green space and expand the public safety building’s parking lot rather than build a separate lot.

“We acknowledge it’s not perfect, but it checks more boxes than anywhere else. There isn’t a space available that is centrally located,” he said. “Downtown doesn’t have the necessary acreage. While it is farther east now, it is in a good location. The township building is near, so are two schools. As the city continues to grow, the setting does a lot for future development.”

Tax bills

The median home value in O’Fallon is about $275,000. Johnson said those homeowners now pay roughly $120 annually in library taxes.

A new building funded with $20 million in bonds would add about $120 a year for that same household, or about $10 a month, he said.

“We know O’Fallon will continue to grow, both with residential and commercial construction,” he said. “Every single new rooftop helps spread out that tax burden to help keep costs under control for everyone. The more homes and business there are, the more spread out those taxes become.”

Library growing pains

The current library opened in 1994 behind the U.S. Post Office on Lincoln Avenue. Johnson said it has not kept pace with the city’s growth.

He cited more than 130,000 annual visits, 12,000 event attendees and more than 200,000 checkouts. He said the library offers about 400 events a year, many for children in kindergarten through 12th grade, and that programs often fill up, forcing staff to turn away interested participants.

“It’s disappointing for the kids and adults alike,” he said. “We could serve more if we had more space.”

In April, he said, the library scheduled seven activities, including tax preparation for seniors, two story times with toddlers, two tours, an after-school program and yoga.

“I feel if people could come in, feel the energy and the vibrancy of the space, they could see the broader appeal we have, the diversity of our programs. We go beyond the traditional services of a library,” Johnson said.

Services include early literacy, STEAM learning, digital access, job help and legal aid. STEAM integrates science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

Among the most popular offerings are the Summer Reading Program and an annual partnership with AARP that offers free tax filing services for seniors. Early childhood programs often have a waiting list, he said.