So, I can't even say it's a rare thing that I wrote my senator...or my governor ...so, it's not like a big announcement or anything that I wrote him...again.
I only mention it because to my readers who live in Ohio, I want to get the word out that Ohio's libraries are in crisis, following Governor Ted Strickland's press conference Friday to outline his plan to balance the budget. One of the highlights of the press conference was the governor's vow to support expanded gambling within the state, something he had long been against. Hidden away within the proposal, however, was an outline calling for a 50 percent reduction in state funding to Ohio's libraries. This is his answer to a projected $3.2 billion revenue shortfall over the next two years.
Is anyone out there still buying that our country is in the grip of a major recession? And the answer is to cut the money going to the one free source of family entertainment our country offers??? I don't know about anyone else but the summer reading program at my public library saved my ass more than one summer when I was broke and facing bored kids. Its a tradition my oldest daughter is following, taking my granddaughters to the Summer Reading program in her town.
I can't believe a 50% cut has been proposed during this time in our countries history which will undoubtedly be written about in the future as being the worst economic crisis since the great depression. Even before hard times hit for the nation, I had a few years of my own personal hard times where I relied on the public library; so I can easily believe media reports that, "Libraries have seen an increase in use - from higher levels of foot traffic to increasing demands for computers - and have become a lifeline for many of Ohio's unemployed and under-employed hoping to apply for unemployment, benefits, and even new jobs."
It isn't too late. The cuts are not set in stone. Please, if you live in Ohio...write your representative!
Contact Gov. Strickland
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