Tell the Ohio House of Representatives: Don't Cut Ohio Libraries!

Don't Cut Ohio Libraries

 

What’s Happening?

Ohio’s public libraries are facing an unprecedented challenge in the Ohio House of Representatives, and we need your help. On April 1st, the Ohio House of Representatives released its proposed state budget. In it, they recommend eliminating the Public Library Fund, a fund protected by law and responsible for the majority of Ohio’s public library funding.

 

Ohio's public libraries have had a partnership with the state to deliver services at the local level for almost 100 years. This proposal wants to remove the protection of law and make library funding a lump-sum dollar amount in the State’s overall budget, making it much easier for legislators to cut funding for libraries in the future.

 

What does this mean for LCPL?

If this proposal passes, it means $100 million LESS for Ohio public Libraries over the next two years and NO GUARANTEE OF FUNDING after 2027.

 

Here at the Leetonia Community Public Library, the Public Library Fund supports at least 95% of our operations, with the remaining money coming from generous donations, fees, and investment incomes. We do not have a local tax levy that brings in any money from the community.

 

Elimination of the Public Library Fund would mean significant cuts to everything we do here at LCPL: less open hours, less access to print and digital materials, less programs, and less staff. Since we rely so heavily on the Public Library Fund, we don’t even know what LCPL’s future would look like without it.

 

While this sounds very bleak, there is one hope: you, our patrons, are able to help!

 

We are asking all library patrons and supporters to please contact your State Representative and tell them your library story.

 

Take action now by contacting your Representative, as well as the Ohio Speaker of the House. Call or email them and tell them:

  • Your library stories - why do we matter to you?

  • No cuts to library funding!

  • Restore the Public Library Fund to 1.75%

 

For patrons in District 79 (Columbiana County), contact Representative Monica Robb Blasdel:

For patrons in District 59 (Mahoning County), contact Representative Tex Fischer:

Ohio Speaker of the House - Speaker Matt Huffman: