Tuesday’s election results proved to be a “good news-bad news” thing for the staff and supporters of the Pioneer Library System.

A proposed new library for downtown Norman failed by about 300 votes, but the Pioneer System’s request for a 2 mill increase in its ad valorem tax draw was passing with 7,617 yes votes to 6,892 no votes as of 9 p.m.

The mileage increase also passed in Pottawatomie and McClain counties.

In Pottawatomie County, the increase received 1,211 yes votes to 423 no votes. That vote was similar to the vote in McClain County where the proposal received 818 yes votes and 369 no votes.

Pioneer’s CEO Anne Masters praised the millage results. “I’m pleased,” she said. “It’s nice to see people supporting our millage increase.

The increase, she said, “was desperately needed.”

“It was vital,” she said. “Especially in Cleveland County. Without it we would have been supporting four libraries on funds which are barely supporting three.”

However, the news was less positive for the system’s proposed $49.5 million downtown library.

With all precincts in, results showed that issue failing by about 300 votes — 6,132 yes votes and to 6,412 no votes.

Masters said she was disappointed by the results, but believed Norman residents still wanted a new library.

“I think it was about the location,” she said. “That’s what I read from those results.”

She said library supporters would continue to push for a new library.

“We’re going to regroup and examine what went wrong,” she said. “I really believe Norman residents support their library system and I believe that in a few years we’ll build a new library in Norman.”