The 10-year, 1-mill levy, which is expected to generate $2.6-million this year, passed with 58 percent "yes" votes after seven failed levy attempts.

The library previously had received 95 percent of its funding from the state. Between 2007 and 2009, the state cut its budget by 31 percent.

Before the levy passed, the library closed one of its three buildings, cut hours by about a third, cut purchase of new materials by 75 percent and cut its staff by about 35 percent. Those employees who remained went 10 years without a pay raise. Additionally, mandatory furloughs cut their pay by about 10 percent.

Under the reduced hours, the branches opened at 10 a.m. They closed at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 8 p.m. other weekdays.

Library hours now are 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday at both the Grove City and Westland locations. The library closed its Central Crossing site, and it will remain closed.

"We added 17 hours back to our schedule," public information officer Amy Shaw said. "As soon as the levy passed, that was the No. 1 question we received."

Expanded hours began Jan. 31, and that change alone required the creation of 15 new positions, Shaw said.

"We have been hiring fast and furiously," Shaw said.

To staff the expanded hours, the library has added positions in maintnance, circulation, reference and outreach.

"We aren't hiring any administrative positions at all, only public service," Shaw said.

New positions in cataloging were added so that the library can stay on top of its new materials. With the levy's passage, the library increased its materials annual budget from $75,000 to $500,000.

"That was huge. The department is busy down there cataloging lots of boxes." Shaw said. "It was empty for so many years. It's exciting to see the new materials coming in and all of the boxes."

Employee furloughs were eliminated and positions that were reduced to part time during the lean years have been brought back to full time.

Many staff members who had been laid off have been rehired. Some former library employees accepted new jobs in the meantime, so some new faces will be seen at both branches, Shaw said.

Longtime employees got their first raise in 10 years.

"Basically it was a step increase, and it's all over the board depending on where the employees were on the chart," Shaw said. "That's anywhere in the neighborhood of 3 to 4 percent. Some people who had been working here 10 years were still at base pay."

Other changes that the public will see include free use of the meeting room. A $25 fee to reserve meeting rooms was abolished.

Programming for families and children has increased.

Patrons can once again "read off" library fines rather than pay them.

"If somebody has an outstanding balance over $10, they can come in and read to their child or themselves and clear that up at a rate of $8 an hour," Shaw said.