From the article:
In the past several years, Southwest Public Libraries have cut their staff by half, reduced operating hours and put a hold on all new materials. Library employees have gone without a raise for 10 years, and have taken a 10 percent pay cut in the form of furloughs.
Grove City voters have typically passed the levies, with voters in outlying areas casting the defeating “no” votes.
Library supporters are working hard to change the trend.
A fundraiser and family fun night are planned for Sept. 16 at Pinnacle Golf Club, 1500 Pinnacle Club Drive. The goal of the event is to raise enough awareness and money to spread the “pro-levy” word throughout the district.
No Comments »From the article:
A year after budget constraints forced the Pickerington Public Library to cut hours and days of service, the library will fully restore its schedule this month by opening its doors again on Sundays.
After local voters in November 2009 passed a 10-year, 0.75-mill operating levy, library officials said the facility would rebound in 2010.
The operating levy, the first in the library’s 100-year history, came after weekly library hours last year were cut from 68 to 47. Wednesday hours had been reduced and the library closed its doors on Sundays.
The levy’s passage allowed library officials to reinstate Wednesday hours last January.
On Sept. 12, the library will complete its pledge to bounce back when it restores Sunday hours.
No Comments »From the article:
“It’s just so sad.”
Simple in language, deep in meaning, those four words uttered by Holmes County District Public Library Director Arlene Radden started a silent bobbing of heads, all nodding in agreement. She was surrounded by members of her staff, board and supporters of the library, many of whom wore their support by way of red, white and blue attire.
The observation followed posting of results for Tuesday’s special election at the Holmes County Board of Elections. A 0.8 mill, five-year levy to support operations of the library failed at the polls, with 1,542 (43 percent) of voters casting ballots in favor of the levy and 2,031 (57 percent) voting against the issue.
No Comments »From the article:
Elated” was the word that Orrville Public Library Board President Tom Troyer selected to describe his feelings about the solid passage of the 0.95 mill continuing operating levy by voters Monday.
Voters passed the levy by a margin of more than two to one, with 773 residents voting in favor, compared to 312 voting against the measure.
The levy passage comes on the heels of voter approval of a school levy in May, something which backers of the library levy felt might negatively impact its chances of passage.
But supporters of library clearly felt that its standing as one of the top-ranked libraries in the U.S. for a town its size was too important to put in jeopardy.
“This takes some of the burden off the board’s shoulders and gives us a little flexibility,” said Troyer, who has watched as heavy-handed state budget cuts increasingly forced the library to cut back hours, personnel and services, and was nearing jeopardizing its core mission.
No Comments »From the article:
Eric Taggart, director of the Coshocton Public Library, said it plans to continue reduced operations that started in 2009, when its budget was cut by more than $400,000 from the state.
All the employees — about 20 full time and 12 part time — are working shorter hours. In addition, four exempt, or salary, employees took pay reductions.
As a result the main and branch libraries are open fewer hours.
“The thing we all see as a problem here is we’re not as available to the public as we would like to be,” Taggart said.
No Comments »From the article:
Newcomerstown Public Library in Newcomerstown, Ohio, has been struggling to remain open in its small community due to state budget cuts. The library formed a fundraising committee last fall and has been working hard to raise funds so that it may continue operating.
Many authors have responded with enthusiasm. Elizabeth Berg, author of The Last Time I Saw You, Joy School,and other works, offered to come to the library and give a lecture on September 8, at no charge to the library, saying she loved small libraries. Berg is bringing Jane Hamilton (The Book of Ruth) with her to speak, too. For $30, attendees will get a buffet dinner and will then hear the authors speak about their books and their lives as writers.
Read Full article at Publisher’s Weekly
No Comments »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.
Read full article here
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.
No Comments »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.
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.
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