NILES — The Niles District Library staff will spend the next couple of days celebrating – quietly of course — after a millage to fund critical building upkeep passed in Tuesday’s Primary Election, according to unofficial results.

The five-year millage is for 25 cents per $1,000 of taxable value. Funding from the millage is expected to garner about $132,000 a year. Funds will help to cover the cost of roof repairs, which have been estimated to cost about $195,000, and major renovations to the bathrooms, including making them disability compliant.

Niles District Library Supervisor Nancy Studebaker said she has residents to thank for the major repairs that can now take place with the millage’s passing.

“We are so grateful to our community for the support that they showed to the library,” Studebaker said. “It passed with over 65 percent of voter approval rate, so we feel really good about that.”

The millage passed with a total of 1,725 votes, according to unofficial results listed on the county website. There were 916 votes cast in opposition to the millage, again according to unofficial results.

To show their gratitude, there will be cupcakes at the library Thursday for people to enjoy.

Voters decided whether they were for or against a proposed millage to fund critical building repairs, including replacing the roof.

Because the projects are necessary, Studebaker said if the millage did not pass, the library board would have to consider alternatives for raising the money, including potentially cutting employee and service hours.

Collection for the millage will begin in January 2019 and Studebaker is hoping to begin roof repairs sometime this summer. Upgrades to the bathrooms would take place this winter or in the spring of next year.

Hours leading up to the election Tuesday night, Studebaker had expressed some optimism for the millage passing, though she said she was also thinking of the other outcome.

“Everybody I know is voting for it,” Studebaker said. “We have appreciated the outpouring of support from the community. For weeks now, people have been coming in and saying, ‘I’m going to vote for it,’ because the people that come to the library love the library.”

Studebaker had created a plan for either outcome, but could not divulge many details until the results were in.

Studebaker said she was proud of her staff and all they have given to the community through their roles at the library.

“The main thing is I have staff that are so eager and creative in finding ways to benefit the community – in ways that probably a lot of people don’t even know about,” Studebaker said. “They are so passionate about it, it is going to be hard for them to pull in the reins a little bit. It is amazing what they can do in the amount of time they have.”

In the months to come, Studebaker said she would be thinking of new ways that the library can engage with more of the community.

“They will be thinking about those other people who voted ‘no’ and ways that we can reach out to them and serve the whole community,” Studebaker said. “I’m just glad they will be able to vote on those sorts of things [such as] making our services even better, rather than making sure that the router doesn’t get wet because there is a leak in the roof.”