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6/22/2009

Save Ohio Libraries

It feels both scary and horrifically ironic that exactly one week ago today I was giving a conference keynote and sharing with attendees how lucky I felt to work in state that clearly supported and recognized the value of libraries, when today I spent my entire day trying help community citizens know that funding for their local libraries is in immediate danger.

Clearly the proposal to cut the Public Library Fund (PLF) by 200 million over the next two years will devastate libraries and the communities that all over the state by decreasing many library’s (including CML’s) state funding by nearly 50%. With so many libraries already struggling and underfunded, this reduction would leave no other alternatives but to close branches, reduce hours, halt purchasing of new books and materials and shutting down services and programs that are so vital the health of communities and the countries economic recovery.

Our opportunity to act and let the Governor Strickland and legislators know about the impact these reductions would have is dangerously slim as the final budget must be approved by July 1st (only days away). In the last 24 hours libraries all over the state have rallied the call to let their community members know the seriousness that this budget reduction could have on their community and it’s livelihood. Find out more and how you can help by checking out these Ohio library websites:


Follow twitter updates: #saveohiolibraries

4 comments:

Laura Solomon said...

Don't forget the official web site http://www.saveohiolibraries.com, which is being overseen by the Ohio Library Council and is constantly being updated. It is also now serving as a clearinghouse for sample press releases, flier, emails and more for libraries (and their supporters!) to get the message out.

Leigh Anne Vrabel said...

Just FYI, the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County has alerts up, too:

http://www.libraryvisit.org/

I would not be the person I am today without Ohio's libraries. I am urging all my friends and relatives who still live there to advocate, loudly!

Leigh Anne

Sue said...

I hope your readers will contact the following individuals to express their opposition to the library funding cuts.

Governor Ted Strickland: (614) 466-3555 or 1-614-644-4357 via web: www.governor.ohio.gov

Conference Committee Members who will be voting on this proposal this week:

Vernon Sykes: (614) 466-3100 Email: district44@ohr.state.oh.us

Jay Goyal: (614) 466-5802 Email: district73@ohr.state.oh.us

Ron Amstutz (614) 466-1474 Email : district03@ohr.state.oh.us

Dale Miller (614) 466-5123 Email : SD23@senate.state.oh.us

John Carey: (614) 466-8156 Email: SD17@senate.state.oh.us

Mark Wagoner: (614) 466-8060 Email: SD02@senate.state.oh.us

Mary Humphrey said...

I am very against the shutting down of any of the public libraries.

The library has seen me through some tough times in the past. Times when I could not spend a dime extra on anything for myself, but I went to the library to borrow books and studied. What did that do for me? It encouraged me to move forward and learn. It was a shot in the arm, one at least, that helped me through some very tough times.

Even now, in this economy, I cannot afford to spend much money on books. In the past I borrowerd books to learn a craft, now I borrower books to continue to learn and grow my business.

We need positive things in this economy, things to help our citizens, and shutting down libraries makes no sense to me at all. To me, and I really hate this rationalization, but for lack of better words, it feels like the noose could get that much tighter.

Thank you for the contacts, I will definitely be spelling out my concerns immediately.

Mary Humphrey
Owner
Annie's Goat Hill Handcrafted Soaps
Leesburg, Ohio