05/03/05 Library Supporters Ask Ohio Legislators to Handle With Care: Please Protect Library Funding
More than 450 library supporters, staff, and trustees attended the OLC's Legislative Day 2005 on April 27 to meet with legislators about protecting library funding.
Participants met at the Columbus Renaissance Hotel for an overview of the proposed state budget (House Bill 66) and its impact on public library funding and then met with legislators and/or their staff members throughout the day. Attendees delivered packages of material to the legislators that highlighted the importance of the public libraries and their value to the communities they serve. They focused their discussions with legislators on several key areas:
- Library Funding - Continue the current level of public library funding (freeze at 2004 levels), instead of the proposed 5% reduction, and develop a trigger mechanism in the budget that would allow for some redistribution of any unanticipated growth in state revenue to be shared with the local government funds.
- Local Government Fund Committee Establish a committee that includes representatives from local government organizations, libraries, and the Ohio General Assembly to work on developing a long-term strategy to fund libraries and local governments.
- Tangible Property Tax - Hold local governments and libraries harmless permanently from the proposed elimination of the tangible personal property tax.
- Free materials at Public Libraries - Keep all public library materials and services free for Ohioans and request the removal of budget language that allows usage fees for non-print materials or services.
At the Legislative Day luncheon, Jackie Shaw, Director of the Sylvester Memorial Wellston Public Library, presented the OLC's Andrew Carnegie Award to Senator John Carey (R-Wellston) in recognition of his support of the ideals and challenges to public libraries.
He knows libraries, he uses libraries, and he supports libraries, said Shaw. I can think of no one more worthy of this award [ Andrew Carnegie Award ] than Sen. John Carey. Through his support, libraries have improved and expanded services.
Thank you to everyone who attended the OLC's Legislative Day 2005!
This is still an extremely important time to have library trustees, community leaders, and business supporters contact legislators. Information regarding the state budget deliberations changes frequently, so visit the OLC Web site ( www.olc.org/protectlibraryfunding.asp ) often to find the most current update.
For a copy of the brochure distributed at OLC's Legislative Day, please go to http://www.olc.org/plf_HandleWithCare.asp .
