Hancock Area District Library Establishes Fund at Keweenaw Community Foundation to Bring Hancock Library Millage Question to Voters
The Keweenaw Community Foundation is pleased to announce the creation of the Hancock Area District Library Special Project Fund, a new fund dedicated to covering the legal, communications, and startup costs required to bring a library funding question before voters in the City of Hancock, Hancock Township, Franklin Township, and Quincy Township this November.
The fund was established as the newly formed Hancock Area District Library (HADL) prepares to place a millage question on the November 3, 2026 ballot.
If voters approve it, the millage would allow HADL to fund library services—including having a librarian on staff, staffed hours beyond the school day, purchasing new materials, interlibrary loan, digital resources like e-books and audiobooks, and library programming including Storytime, 1000 Books Before Kindergarten, and the Summer Reading Program. These library services have been provided through a management contract with Portage Lake District Library, which is set to end in March 2027. The millage asks voters whether they’d like to support funding to continue operating these library services beyond March.
If the millage does not pass, the library would revert to operating as a School Public Library. The library would be funded by the local school district budget and would operate with a narrower scope of service. Any remaining funds in the Special Project Fund will be donated to Hancock Public Schools for the explicit purpose of operating the school public library.
What the Fund Supports
The Hancock Area District Library Special Project Fund seeks to raise $10,000 to cover the legal and administrative costs of placing the library millage question on the November 2026 ballot, allowing voters in the City of Hancock, Hancock Township, Franklin Township, and Quincy Township to make the final decision.
This includes:
Legal expenses to place the millage on the November 2026 ballot
Educational materials that inform residents about the millage—what it is, what it would fund, and what happens if it does not pass
Operating expenses for the newly established Hancock Area District Library
Why the Fund Matters
Placing a question on the ballot, communicating clearly with voters, and standing up a new district library all carry real costs. The Special Project Fund, held at the Keweenaw Community Foundation, is intentionally structured to be nonpartisan: it supports the process of bringing the millage question to voters, not a position on how they should vote.
Election Information for November 2026
On Tuesday, November 3, 2026, voters in the City of Hancock, Hancock Township, Franklin Township, and Quincy Township will see the millage on their ballot. Visit the Houghton County Clerk to find your polling location.
How to Support the Fund
To support the fund, make an online donation to the Hancock Area District Library Special Project Fund.
Community members can also support this effort by sharing the fund with neighbors or reaching out with questions. To learn more or get involved, contact Carolyn Dekker, HADL board president, at cdekker@hancocklibrarymi.org.
To learn more about this Special Project Fund, visit the Keweenaw Community Foundation website. If you have questions about the fund, please contact Madelina DiLisi, Director of Programs, at (906) 482-9673 or email madelina@keweenawgives.org.
