The Bethlehem Public Library was packed on Thursday as voters voted on a nearly $37 million renovation project.

The unofficial results show that the proposal did not pass as 3,213 people voted against the plan, while 1,639 voted for the renovation. There are still 529 absentee ballots to be counted, and the official results are expected next week.

If the vote had passed, the town’s library residents’ taxes would have risen an estimated 65 cents for every $1,000 of property. This means some residents could have seen their taxes increase by hundreds of dollars annually.

The library is 50 years old, and this project would have included a larger library with more shelves for books and accessibility improvements.

The Bethlehem Public Library’s Board of Trustees released a statement to NewsChannel 13, “We’d like to thank everyone who voted in the bond referendum today. Although the referendum did not pass, the library remains committed to providing excellent service to our community. We have been so grateful for everyone who has taken the time to share their thoughts – in favor and against – and learn more about the building and renovation. We will continue to gather feedback to guide us as we move forward.”