ZEELAND, Mich. — Speeding tickets in Ottawa County are contributing to a positive cause, as a portion of penal fines collected last year is benefiting local public libraries. The Howard Miller Library in Zeeland is among nine libraries in the county receiving funding from a total of $682,556.24 in Ottawa County fines.
Director of the Howard Miller Library, Amanda Hanson, said libraries usually receive the funds twice a year.
"They're sent to a central processing place, and then the Library of Michigan distributes it according to the service area populations that each public library serves," she explained.
Michigan is the only state in the nation that constitutionally mandates funding for libraries via penal fines, which can account for a wide range of 3 to 70 percent of a library's annual budget.

“It's been roughly 5% of our total operating budget for the past three years,” said Hanson.
The Howard Miller Library received $60,220.26, while the Herrick District Library in Holland received $202,262.01 from the fines.
“It goes to support programming. It goes to support our collection development, electronic access, internet access, all that stuff,” said Hanson.
While libraries like Howard Miller do not have auxiliary support organizations, they depend on this funding as well as the Howard Miller Public Library fund.
“I can't say that it's ever been zero, and you kind of want it to be just for the sake of society, but quite honestly, it's great that it's going to a good cause,” Hanson explained.
Library | Certified Population | Interest | Principal | Total Distribution |
---|---|---|---|---|
Allendale Township | 35,384 | 1,992.81 | 79,545.23 | 81,538.04 |
Coopersville Area District | 12,679 | 714.08 | 28,503.12 | 29,217.20 |
Georgetown Township | 54,091 | 3,046.39 | 121,599.63 | 124,646.02 |
Patmos (Jamestown) | 9,630 | 542.36 | 21,648.78 | 22,191.14 |
Herrick District | 87,773 | 4,943.34 | 197,318.67 | 202,262.01 |
Gary Byker Memorial | 11,311 | 637.03 | 25,427.78 | 26,064.81 |
Loutit District | 39,331 | 2,215.11 | 88,418.31 | 90,633.42 |
Spring Lake District | 19,868 | 1,118.96 | 44,664.38 | 45,783.34 |
Howard Miller | 26,133 | 1,471.80 | 58,748.46 | 60,220.26 |
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