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Ohio Libraries Clamor for Local Government FundsSome 350 people attended a March 16 press conference at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus to ask legislators to maintain current funding levels and form a commission to look at the future of support for local government. The event was sponsored by the Ohio Library Council and four other state associations—representing firefighters, police, county and municipal officials, and parks employees—that are concerned with the reduced support in Governor Bob Taft’s proposed budget for 2006–2007.Stephen Hedges, director of the Nelsonville Public Library, spoke on behalf of the OLC, stating, “Librarians are now struggling to stop the continuing deterioration of our public library funding. . . . We must motivate the legislature to stabilize library funding and move it to firmer financial ground.” The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County expects to be hit particularly hard by Taft’s 5% reduction in library funding. At a March 14 board meeting, trustees agreed to prepare for the worst by immediately cutting the library’s materials and supplies budgets by 10% and initiating a selective hiring freeze. If the funding cut proceeds as anticipated, the library plans to eliminate mailed overdue notices, reduce employee benefits, eliminate 39 jobs through a phased reorganization, and eliminate Sunday hours at the main library. “This is always one of those difficult things to do,” Library Executive Director Kim Fender said in the March 15 Cincinnati Post. “Our best hope is for the legislature not to make this cut.” Posted March 18, 2005. |
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