Libraries across the state are making changes to their budgets to cope with revenue loss this year, and the Athens County Public Libraries are no exception.
The 2009 General Fund for the Athens County Public Library is $2,024,629 which is a 7 percent decrease from 2008, said Lauren Miller, director for Athens County Public Libraries.
Ohio libraries are funded upon state cash receipts so budgets are proportional to the state economy
Miller added. When the state does well so do the libraries.
The library has been preparing for losses in budget for the past couple of years, said Miller.
The changes in the library budgets are not 'budget cuts', said Lynda Murray, Director of Government and Legal Services for the Ohio Library Council. The governor and General Assembly have been very supportive of Ohio libraries.
The Athens County Public Libraries received a grant from the Athens Foundation and Friends of the Athens Public Library to refurnish the teen reading area and another from the Ohio Public Library Information Network to help with their technology initiative, Miller said.
We want to keep our free programs for the public running but we will be asking for donations for the Summer Book Camp
said Miller.
The budget change has not affected the personnel of the library and there are no plans to do so, Miller said.
To save money, the library will not be ordering plastic bags for use but providing reusable bags for patrons. They are also asking for patron e-mail addresses to send overdue notices instead of using paper, said Miller.
Many libraries in the state are shifting resources to help people use the Internet to find jobs and build resumes, said Murray.
In the coming weeks, a Donate Your Ideas icon will be added to the Athens County Public Libraries home page so patrons can submit ideas to the library about how they can be more cost effective, added Miller.
Our libraries are community centers
said Miller. We need to keep positive.
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Amanda Janice
