Yesterday, the Ohio House introduced their version of the proposed state budget which drastically reduces the amount of funding going to Ohio’s public libraries. The substitute bill introduced in the House Finance Committee proposes to place library funding into a budget line-item instead of using a percentage of the state’s general revenue fund (GRF). The House’s proposal reduces state funding for Ohio’s public libraries by more than $100 million over the biennium as compared to the Governor’s proposal. Find out more here.
State funding (the Public Library Fund) accounts for roughly 25% of Willoughby-Eastlake Public Library’s budget, and a decrease in that funding could lead to cuts in library hours, programming, services, and resources.
At this time, we are humbly asking all library patrons to contact their House Member, Dan Troy, and Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman between now and Wednesday, April 9. Contacts should be made by email and/or phone calls. Clink the names above for contact info. The message to your representative should be simple and personalized.
Tell the Ohio House:
- Don’t cut Ohio’s public libraries!
- Don’t cut my library!
- Restore the Public Library Fund (PLF) to 1.75% of the GRF.
- Include a personal story. Tell them what you love about your library and how the library makes a difference in your life and impacts the lives of others. Personal stories resonate with legislators. This could include early childhood literacy, senior services, summer reading, internet access, and so much more. The key is to share your stories and testimonials.
Thank you so much for your support! We love our community and want to continue to give you the best service possible.
