With Ohio facing budget constraints for the considerable future -because of the currently poor condition of Ohio's economy -Gov. Bob Taft and the General Assembly are busy trying to trim the fat from statewide services. Although budget cuts have seemingly become commonplace in the past few years, one proposed cut to a state-provided service is especially troubling. The quality of Ohio's public libraries -the foundation of education and personal betterment -likely will be put on the chopping block this year, and when the final budget is approved the library system will be 5 percent leaner. Such a reduction in funding for the state library system is downright reprehensible.
The passage of the cut has been all but assured: Taft has advocated this cut, the House has already approved the measure and the Senate seems to be on board as well. Although the state will have to cut spending across the board, it defies logic as to why the library system, of all services, is being sacrificed. Libraries throughout the state rely primarily on money from the state to continue to operate -about 95 percent of their yearly budget -and any cuts to that funding would hamper the operation of basic educational services.
Further compounding the problem of reducing library funding is the reputation of the system in the state and around the country. According to the annual Hennen's American Public Library Ratings -as reported by The Plain Dealer in 2004 -25 Ohio libraries are among the top 100 public libraries in the nation. The findings of that report were tallied after the more than 9,000 libraries in all 50 states were surveyed. It makes little sense for the state government to penalize its poster child for public service by reducing the institution's funding when it should continue to wholeheartedly support it. Additionally, such a reduction in funding from libraries is further cutting money from educational pursuits -on top of reductions in the money state colleges receive. With Gov. Taft continually promoting the need for Ohio to compete in high-tech industries, the decision to cut library funding seems not only to contradict these economic goals, but also make them nearly impossible.
Ohio libraries are too valuable to the education of all Ohio residents -and the state's reputation -to be fooled with, but sadly it appears as if that is the direction the legislature is headed in.
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