Save Ohio's Public Libraries!

Dear People: Author Ray Bradbury said in today's NYTimes: "Libraries raised me...I don’t believe in colleges and universities. I believe in libraries because most students don’t have any money. When I graduated from high school, it was during the Depression and we had no money. I couldn’t go to college, so I went to the library three days a week for 10 years.”

I hope all of you will write our local representatives before July 1--this is important!
Best,
L.
--- On Sun, 6/21/09, Greene County Public Library <comments@gcpl.lib.oh.us> wrote:

From: Greene County Public Library <comments@gcpl.lib.oh.us>
Subject: OHIO LIBRARY FUNDING EMERGENCY | YOUR HELP NEEDED
Date: Sunday, June 21, 2009, 7:10 AM

OHIO LIBRARY FUNDING EMERGENCY | YOUR HELP NEEDED

Dear Library Friends and Patrons,

As you have probably heard on the news, Governor Strickland has proposed a last minute change to the State Budget: he proposes to cut funding for Ohio’s Libraries by an additional $100 million dollars a year for the next two years.

Public libraries are a vital lifeline to job hunting information, education, and family fun in a down economy. Greene County Public Library receives 55% of its funding from the State of Ohio. This funding rises and falls with the State’s income, and funding for libraries has already fallen dramatically in the current recession. If the Governor’s new cut became permanent, it would devastate the services we provide to children, teens, adults, and seniors throughout Greene County.

Under the Governor’s proposal, the funding for Ohio’s libraries would drop to nearly half of 2008 levels. The cost to the Greene County Public Library would be $2.2 million in 2009 and $3.5 million in 2010. The cut for this year would be in addition to the $3.3 million reduction the library is already facing because of declining state tax revenues.

We have already absorbed large drops in state funding while working as hard as we can to not reduce services for our wonderful patrons. But, without this key state funding, we will have to make deep cuts in hours, eliminate services, and possibly even close branches.

You can help us protect the funding that will keep us doing what we do best — serving you — by contacting your representatives and the Governor’s office by phone and email this week to let them how you feel about the Governor’s proposal: the decision on this proposal will be made before July 1.

Please contact:

Governor Ted Strickland
(614) 466-3555
(614) 644-4357 (Fax)
http://governor.ohio.gov

Representative Jarrod Martin
(614) 644-6020
(614) 719-3970 (Fax)
district70@ohr.state.oh.us

Representative Robert Hackett
(614) 466-1470
(614) 719-6984 (Fax)
district84@ohr.state.oh.us

Senator Chris Widener
(614) 466-3780
D10@senate.state.oh.us

On behalf of the entire Greene County Public Library family, thank you for your help and support.