We need your help. Tell the Ohio House: Don't Cut Ohio Libraries!

Tell the Ohio House: Don’t Cut Ohio Libraries!

This message is a departure from our usual communications to you, our valued patrons and supporters. Ohio’s libraries are facing an unprecedented challenge in the Ohio House of Representatives, and we need your help. We need you to email or call your House Members and House Speaker Huffman TODAY urging them to restore the Public Library Fund to the amount designated in the Governor’s proposed budget.

How will the House’s version of the budget impact Ohio?

  • The Ohio House of Representatives’ biennium budget proposal eliminates the Public Library Fund, a mechanism that has funded 251 public library systems for four decades.
  • Ohio House Members plan to replace the Public Library Fund with a lump dollar amount for all Ohio libraries, which will result in cuts to libraries across the state.
  • The Public Library Fund has remained flat for 25 years and House Members have put forward a dollar amount that does not account for a quarter of a century of inflation.

Here in Archbold, the Public Library Fund makes close to 48% of all Archbold Community Library operations possible (the remaining 52% is from local property taxes passed by voters like you). If you want your tax dollars to come back from Columbus to support public libraries across the Buckeye State, we need you to contact your House members as well as House Speaker Matt Huffman between now and Wednesday, April 9th. There is no time to lose.

If you're not sure who your House representative is, a directory can be found here.

The message to the Ohio House is simple and should be personalized.

Tell the Ohio House:

  1. Don't cut Ohio's public libraries!
  2. Don't cut my library!
  3. Restore the Public Library Fund (PLF) to 1.75% of the General Revenue Fund.
  4. Include a personal story.
  • What do you love about our library?
  • How has the library made a difference in your life and how does it impact the lives of others?
  • Do you love our new Early Literacy Center? Our children's programs? Homebound services? The Summer Reading Program? (and more!) Tell them!

Thank you for your continued support.

Audience
Adults