From the article:
Though the Lane Libraries won’t be seeing any actual funds from the May levy until next year, it has managed to save enough money from this year’s budget to expand its hours this fall.

“We’ve been monitoring our income all year to see whether or not we could do something this fall,” said executive director Mary Pat Essman.

Starting Sept. 7, the library will add an additional 12 hours a week:

Expanded hours of operation will be:

• 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

• 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

• 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

The expansion of hours will be supported for the long term by funds from the levy beginning in 2011.
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From the article:
Passage of the millage would account for 23 percent of the library’s budget, which has been cut 31 percent by the state. As a result, Picot said, “The library is operating on a par with its 1995 budget, with double the circulation we had then.”

While the library has worked hard at cutting its costs the past few years, Picot said she is adamant she and the staff do not want to face dismantling “the heart of who we are in the community.”

Picot said the library is averaging 3,096 patrons per week, more than one-thirds of whom are there to use the computers. Moreover, since the economy went into a nosedive, the library has seen a sharp upward trend in the use of computers as residents began intensive job hunting.

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Monday, August 2, at 10am

Help kick off the levy campaign. Bring family and friends–spread the word about this event.
The kick off is planned for 10 am when WCDPL would normally open, on the first day of furlough to help underscore what’s at stake for the library this November.

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From VoteYesForYourLibrary.com:

The cuts in library operating funds have forced the Holmes County District Public Library to reduce its number of service hours by 30%, lay off nearly a third of its workforce and eliminate and reduce critical services to patrons. Bookmobile service has been reduced by nearly 40%. All library programming, including preschool story time is suspended system-wide.

Without the passage of the proposed tax levy, the Holmes County District Public Library will be forced to permanently close library branches, further reduce bookmobile service and further reduce programs and services available to Holmes Countians.

THE LEVY:

In its 82 year history, the Holmes County District Public Library has never had an operating levy
Over the past several months, the library has worked hard to tighten its financial belt and find cost savings before seeking this tax levy
The library is proposing to voters an (eight-tenths) .8 mil, five year renewable operating levy that will appear on the August 3 2010 ballot. Passage of this levy will restore financial stability to the Holmes County District Public Library system, save library branches, restore bookmobile service and maintain quality services
For the cost of one hardcover book per year, you can continue to use and enjoy all of the materials, services and programs offered by the Holmes County District Public Library for all Holmes Countians.

“We need our libraries,” said Mindy Garverick.

“Government entities need to make due with what they have,” said Jo Ellen Myers.

This was part of the recent debate between South-Western City Schools board members over the levy request from Southwest Public Libraries.

The library board voted to place a 1-mill operating levy on the November ballot. This would cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $30 per year or $2.55 a month.

Because the school board is the library’s taxing agent, they must vote on the issue as well.

All board members voted in favor of the levy, except Myers.

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Getting funding for public libraries is a huge concern after last year’s state budget cuts. Library leaders are trying to get political support.

The Toledo-Lucas County Public Library held a Candidate Information Day Wednesday. The goal is to convince lawmakers and those running for office that library funding should be a top priority.

Budget numbers are down, but the number of people using Toledo-Lucas County libraries is up, including checking out books, using computers, and even movies and video games. Linda Murray of the Ohio Library Council says, “it used to be just books. We do a lot of programming. We do a lot of help in early literacy and helping people find jobs online. Not everybody has a computer at home, not everybody has high speed internet.”

Ohio legislators cut public library funds 31-percent this year forcing cuts in both staff and operating hours. Next year could be just as bad. Murray says, “Well, we know that we’ve got a probably even larger budget gap. I think it’s a little early to tell the size of it and how things are going to go.”

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The Chillicothe and Ross County Public Library has decided its Northside branch will reopen for patron use Jan. 18.

The Northside branch, located on Buckeye Street, was closed in summer 2009 as a cost- cutting measure because of severe reductions in state funding for library systems. Other cost-saving measures taken at the time included reducing operating hours in other library facilities in the system, staff reductions and severe curtailing of new book and materials purchasing.

Because of the 56 percent of county residents who voted in May in favor of a five-year, 1-mill property tax levy, the library can reverse the 2009 shortfall when levy funds start coming in early 2011. The levy, which will cost the owner of a home valued at $100,000 about $31.50 per year, will generate about $1 million annually and bring library funding back up to 2001 levels.

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WEST CHESTER TWP. — Following the approval of a levy on the May ballot, the Middletown Public Library system is preparing to restore hours at libraries in Middletown, Trenton and West Chester Twp.

Currently, the libraries are closed on Fridays due to funding cuts from the state of Ohio. But in May, voters approved a .75-mil levy that will generate approximately $3.2 million annually, which will allow the three libraries to re-open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays starting Sept. 7. The levy will cost homeowners $23 for every $100,000 in home value, according to Middletown Public Library.

From the Middletown Journal.