If Salisbury Township residents choose to not fund the Allentown Public Library, they would have to pay an annual membership fee, thereby making the township one of the few, if not the only, area municipality without free library services.

Salisbury Township Commissioner Debra Brinton said she was contacted by township residents about the matter following an article in the May 8 edition of Salisbury Press about a possible township referendum on library funding.

Commissioners are considering a ballot referendum on township funding of the Allentown Public Library. The township annually provides $81,559 to the public library.

The amount paid by the township to the library is funded through a tax assessed township residents in the amount of .06087 of a mill.

The funding provides township residents free use of the library and access to the library system.

Commissioner Vice President Robert Martucci Jr. has advocated a ballot referendum on the library tax. The township referendum on the public library is being considered for the Nov. 5 general election.

Township officials have been concerned about library funding ever since the 2009 closure of the Allentown Public Library South Branch, 601 W. Emmaus Ave. Township residents must use the Allentown Public Library at 12th and Hamilton streets, Allentown.

The township has funded the Allentown Public Library since 1993 when township residents approved a ballot referendum to be taxed to fund the library.

"I got some calls based on your article in the paper," Brinton told a reporter for Salisbury Press at the May 9 township board of commissioners' meeting.

Brinton said she spoke with Allentown Public Library Executive Director Renee Haines concerning the possible township library tax referendum.

"When the South Branch closed, it created some hardships," Brinton said, referring to township residents who enjoyed the convenience of its East Emmaus Avenue location.

However, she noted, the library tax allows township residents to use other area libraries, including, for example, those in Parkland, Emmaus and Bethlehem, which might actually be in closer proximity, depending in which area of the township they live.

Brinton said that based on the township median property value of $225,000, the cost, based on the township tax, is $15 annually per household.

She said that translates to about $7 for every $1,000 of assessed property valuation.

An annual library membership card is $40 annually.

"This is costing you $15 to $20 per year," Brinton said is the message she wants to get out to township residents regarding the township library tax.

"If we choose to not do this, we will be the only municipality not offering library services," Brinton said, should voters reject the library tax.

Commissioners would need to vote on a resolution to place a library funding referendum on the ballot. The Lehigh County Election Board would determine the wording of the referendum.

Even if township commissioners voted to place the library tax on the November ballot, and voters approved dropping the funding, the township would still fund the library for 2014. It would need to give the library notice in April 2014. If voters reject the library tax, township library funding would cease for 2015 at the earliest.

Brinton said she suggested to Haines that she consider a mailing to inform township residents of library services.

Brinton said that after the story appeared in the Salisbury Press, some who contacted her said they didn't realize that the township had library services.

Haines spoke to commissioners about library services at the Nov 29, 2012, township meeting.

The next Allentown Public Library meeting of the board of directors, on which Salisbury Township Manager Randy Soriano serves, is noon May 20 at the library.

Salisbury officials seek specific figures on how many township residents use the library.