Editorial: Dear Governor Strickland

Find another solution to Ohio library cuts!

Francine Fialkoff -- Library Journal, 06/25/2009

Dear Governor Strickland, 

At Library Journal, we’ve long touted the public libraries in your state as models. They are among the country’s best. Two have been named our Library of the Year (Medina County and Worthington), an award given for extraordinary service, creativity and innovation in developing programs, and a dramatic increase in library usage.

More Ohio libraries—31—than any other state except New York (which has 8 million more people!) ranked as star libraries in LJ’s first-ever America’s Star Libraries 2009, an index of what libraries actually deliver to their users. Columbus Metropolitan Library and Cleveland Public Library especially stood out.

The services your public libraries offer come at a cost, and your state’s funding formula is one of which you should be inordinately proud. No other state has such dedicated funding. That’s why a city like Cleveland, which has a struggling public school system, has a terrific library. And why your capital city of Columbus has a world-class library.

Now, you propose cuts that would chop in half the budgets of some 175 library systems (out of the 251) in Ohio. For those libraries, and for the rest, that would mean the end—or drastically reduced library service.

That would mean fewer places for those who voted you into office to look for jobs and get training, test preparation, and other skills. That would choke access to—and help with filling out—government applications for all kinds of assistance, including unemployment and housing. That would eliminate after-school hours for kids and teens. That would mean fewer books, audiobooks, CDs, and DVDs for residents at a time of economic distress when they need “free” more than ever.

We’re proud of Ohio librarians and citizens from all over who have responded fiercely to your shocking proposal to cut the Public Library Fund. Take a look at the web sites of these public libraries, where some of your most creative constituents—public librarians—are rallying their users.

As one library director, Susan Hill Pieper at Paulding County Library, wrote LJ: “Our citizenry has been hard hit with job layoffs. Their public library is the information connection for them to look for jobs, take online classes, learn new skills….Each day we see new faces….I fear that if the Governor’s proposal is adopted…public libraries in Ohio will…struggle to keep doors open….Who in the legislature will be Ohio’s public library champion? What a badge of honor that would be.”

Governor Strickland, what a badge of shame. We understand that your state faces a significant budget deficit. And we also understand that communities should not rely solely on state funding.

But your constituents need public libraries, so even an austerity budget should maintain significant library service. Since you pride yourself on your commitment to education, you must be aware of the critical importance—and track record—of Ohio’s public libraries. Find another solution.