Proposed library cuts spur protests

Ohio budget would cut the funding by half

Residents all over northwest Ohio braved the heat today to join a statewide rally against major cuts to Ohio's library system

Clyde Scoles is executive director of the Toledo-Lucas County public library. He said, "Who wants to see a sign on the door saying 'Library closed'? That's what we're facing here."

Scoles says state budget cuts currently on the table would cripple the Toledo-Lucas County library and countless others. "We'll have to dismantle all the wonderful things we've been able to build and the public has supported locally all these many years." Closed on Sundays, fewer books and layoffs, says Scoles.

But second grade teacher September Kuebler knows it could be even worse in Wood County. Some libraries in that system may be forced to close.

Luebler spent hours outside today telling people to call lawmakers and protest. "My students all live in small rural communities too and those little libraries are what they count on."

Friday, Governor Ted Strickland announced plans to cut $2.4 billion from the state's budget. That includes a cut of more than $112 million from the public library fund-- about half.

Seventy percent of Ohio's libraries, including the Wood County library, rely entirely on state funds. That's why Wood County has already cut back on hours and cut in half the staff.

At the protest, Kuebler said, "If we don't reach these small children now and encourage them to become strong readers and to love learning, it's much harder to capture them when they're teenagers, when they're older."

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