Tuesday, June 23, 2009

disastrous news for ohio libraries

THE BASICS: Governor Strickland has recommended the elimination of $200+ million from the Public Library Fund over the next two years.

WHAT IT MEANS: This proposal by the Governor cuts Columbus Metropolitan Library's state funding by 50%. These proposed 11 + million dollar cuts will be devastating: closing branches, halting new books and materials, and shutting down programs and services that are so vital to our community!

Please help! Tell the Ohio government to find another solution.

Email all your legislators at once by visiting CML's homepage.

Call the Governor's office at 614-466-3555.

For more information, please visit the Ohio Library Council website.

Tell everyone you know. WE ONLY HAVE DAYS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Here's what I had to say. I hope you'll participate and encourage others too.

I am writing to express my utmost concern about the Governor's proposed cuts to library funding. The news of it comes as quite a shock, as well as a disappointment from a Governor I had confidence in.

Of course, in tough economic times, we need to look for ways to cut back, but we expect that the Ohio government recognize the immense value and importance that our libraries hold for us. As you know, for many years Ohio has topped the Hennen Library Rankings, and was just recently named a 5 star library by Library Journal. What better way to live up to that ranking, and more importantly to the communities the libraries serve, than to conserve money and resources for Ohio libraries.

Libraries have already received a 20% cut in funding; a 50% cut will have drastic consequences to our libraries and our communities: branches will close and services will be cut.

These cuts would have devastating consequences to our libraries when our community needs them more than ever. Libraries are busier than ever. Children, teachers, parents, students, job-seekers flood Ohio libraries every day to take advantage of the information, resources, and sense of community that our libraries promote.

This is the time to rally around the truly exceptional and truly meaningful services available to Ohioans. Libraries are just that. There is an engraving above the door to the Columbus Metropolitan Library in downtown Columbus that simply reads: 'Open To All'. Please reject this proposal and keep that statement true; save our libraries from closing many of their doors.

1 comment:

Christina Katz said...

Tell them to contact Pat Duke, Director of the Wilsonville Public Library in Wilsonville, Oregon for tips on how to create another source of funding. We just went through this in Oregon and Pat knows how to create a district fund to keep libraries open. He also can offer tips on how to get information out for the campaign. :)