Ohio libraries are gearing up to fight a Republican-backed proposal in the Ohio House that threatens the funding structure that has supported libraries across the state for decades.
The plan would eliminate the Public Library Fund and replace it with a flat direct appropriation. Library groups say the move would result in millions of dollars in cuts, jeopardizing library programs, materials and services across the state.
Lauren Hagan is CEO of the Columbus Metropolitan Library and Michelle Francis is executive director of the Ohio Library Council.
Matthew Rand: Michelle, can you explain how the Public Library Fund works and how it has supported libraries across the state over the years?
Michelle Francis: This is a long-standing partnership that we have had with the state of Ohio for almost 100 years. Right now, the Public Library Fund is a percentage of state GRF (General Revenue Fund) tax receipts. So that means that it truly is a partnership with the state. If the state does well, money comes into the public libraries to help support those services locally. Although I will tell you, we are a very, very, very small piece of the overall budget. The budget in total is over $102 billion and the portion that goes to public libraries is 0.5%. I think it's like 0.005. So, it is a very small portion of the overall budget.
Matthew Rand: But it does mean a lot of money for the libraries themselves. Lauren, how could this change impact Columbus libraries? And have there been any discussions of branches closing because of this?
Lauren Hagan: It's too early to have those conversations, because it's really early in the budget process. [But] I think for us shifting from the public library fund to a line-item appropriation is, in our opinion, a shortsighted move that puts public libraries in a very negative position in the state of Ohio going forward.
Matthew Rand: Michelle, I know public libraries play an important role in many rural areas as well. How would these cuts impact those libraries in the smaller Ohio towns?
Michelle Francis: It would be critical. You know, the first set of runs that we saw last week under this proposal, 93 public library systems and 39 counties would get cut on July 1, which is pretty scary. And it's in rural areas, as well as urban areas, but you're talking about programs and services that help people connect to the internet, provide services to seniors, provide food distribution, along with our traditional books as well as e-books and audio books and all of those things as well.
Matthew Rand: Finally, how are you both mobilizing to push back against this plan?
Lauren Hagan: We've reached out to our customer base and asked them to reach out to their representatives and to Sen. Huffman to voice their opinion about public library funds and also share their experience with the public library and how it has been a great resource for their families and also to share what impact it might have if the funding was cut for them and their community and their neighbors.
Michelle Francis: I mean, at the end of the day, we're talking about services at the local level. One of our libraries alone last year saved their patrons over $300,000 in filing fees, and we're able to get them over $1 million in returns. When we talk about saving taxpayer money and really putting money back in their pockets, that's what our libraries are doing today.
