Governor's Statement on Public Libraries

The following text was posted today by the Governor on the pages of everyone on Facebook who has posted to his Facebook page on the subject of library funding:

"Governor's Statement on Public Libraries

Our public libraries serve an important role in the lives of Ohio children and adults. The funding reduction faced by our libraries is one that will also be experienced by state government programs across the board.

My framework to balance the state budget includes a reduction in state aid to libraries in order to minimize the impact of $2.43 billion in spending reductions that will impact services for our most vulnerable, especially children, the elderly and disabled. These cuts will help to address the $3.2 billion budget gap without raising taxes on Ohio families and businesses. The framework reduces the size of government in line with the shrinking economy, and keeps our commitment to the classroom reforms that will better prepare Ohio students for jobs. All this will position Ohio for job growth and economic recovery.

Without doubt, what I have outlined requires tough choices. Many of the services that Ohioans have come to rely on will have to be reduced, and some suspended. This is not because those services are not worthy. It is because state government has to prioritize limited resources to make it through this recession. Every day, similar decisions are being made around countless kitchen tables and shop floors throughout Ohio.

I believe that libraries provide important services to members of our community. While many of us turn to our libraries for book clubs, summer reading and research projects, Ohioans also utilize the local library as a place to find free high speed internet access and to receive assistance with finding a job or filing their taxes. I am committed to the goal and vision of our libraries and the services they provide. During these difficult economic times, it is important that our libraries remain a haven for individuals to gather and utilize resources. That’s why my framework commits $531 million in funding for our libraries over the next biennium.

All Ohioans are making shared sacrifices. But I have faith that, with the commitment of our community members, we will be able to overcome today’s challenges and continue working to build a stronger, better Ohio."

Here is a direct link to the letter:
http://governor.ohio.gov/LibraryLetter/tabid/1108/Default.aspx

Act Now! Say NO to Budget Proposal!

What terrible news about the Governor's budget proposal. The latest attempt to balance the State's biennium budget for 2010-2011 would leave Mentor Public Library facing significant reductions--in a nutshell, we would lose almost a million dollars over those two years. All Ohio public libraries would lose an additional 30% this year(we have already lost 20% over the past 6 months); and 47% in 2010. We are willing to ride the rails with other state agencies and absorb our share of the reductions, but these proposed cuts are disproportionate and would impact every area of our organization. Many Ohio libraries will have to close as they are completely dependent on state funding and do not have local levies. If Ohio is to move forward, Ohio libraries must be able to continue moving forward.

Please sign our online petition; use the links on our site to email Governor Strickland, Representatives Schneider and Fende, and Senator Grendell to add your voice to the Save Ohio Libraries cause!

Book Club Blast

New for 2009 are a great group of book discussion opportunities at MPL. Steve is leading our new Men's Book Group, which is meeting on Tuesday, March 10 at 6:30 PM to discuss The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson. Grace and Sarah will lead the new Profilers Crime Time Book Group on Thursday, March 26, at 7:00 p.m.in a discussion of the exciting novel, Borderlands, by Brian McGilloway. Barb and I will participate in an art discussion group that integrates books in a discussion of Lydia Cassatt Reading the Morning Paper by Harriet Chessman on May 14 at 7 PM. The book is a fictional account of the life and art of Mary Cassatt. Amanda will debut as the new leader of the Monday Night Book Group on April 6 at 6:45 PM.

Our off-site programs include book discussion at the Mentor Senior Center with Barb, and a new group to meet at Hannah's House with Amy. Plans are in the works for a Concord book group and a group for 20-30 somethings.

And stay posted for our new Adult Story Time--Connie and Amanda are planning an informal discussion of stories and poems in the Hotspot!

Forward

Here in Admin we are wrapping up 2008. We are spending our days looking at a lot of numbers and comparing them to last year's numbers and projecting forward--like a lot of folks we are anxious about how big or how small the numbers will be for 2009. As we look ahead we know that the state funding for libraries will not be as healthy as initially projected. The Ohio Library Council has cautioned libraries to expect an 8% decrease in state funds for the first half of 09. It is still early--since we expect this figure to grow we are planning conservatively for that now. MPL will begin receiving revenue from our new levy on January 1 and we are happy to announce that through careful planning we can provide Saturday hours at both the Mentor on the Lake and Headlands Branch Libraries. Beginning Saturday, January 3, 2009, all three facilities will be open from 9 AM-5 PM on Saturdays. Join us as we move forward in 2009!

Getting Off the Blocks

Both my children were swimmers, and my siblings and I were swimmers. Those long, cold workouts at the crack of dawn were great character-builders and on a good day, were actually fun. My family loved watching Michael Phelps rock the pool this month at the Olympics. As our talk turned to training and coaching and races won and lost, my daughter remembered a training method that one of her coaches had used for faster starts off the block. She was proud that she had gotten her reaction time down to sixteen hundredths of a second. Getting off the blocks faster or getting out of the gate fast is one of the keys to having a great race.

Here at the library, it's important for us to have that same dedication to being out ahead of the pack. We know that our patrons appreciate quick response to their requests for new products and services. But we also need to continue to anticipate your needs. Introducing a new service that you need, before you know that you need it, is one of the success stories that will take us from good to great. It's the difference between doing the job--and thinking about doing the job. So look for us to anticipate that next new way to make you smile, by offering a new or more convenient service option. We'll try to surprise you.

MPL Staffers "On the Bus" This Week

When you visit the library this week you cannot fail to notice the big bus at the back of our Main parking lot. This is the State Library of Ohio Mobile Computer Lab, on loan to us for staff training for the entire week. The Mobile Internet Training Lab is a 35' bus equipped with 10 networked PC's, a digital projector, and a networked printer. A wireless internet bridge connects the lab to the library. The State Library provides free delivery and pickup of the lab to any public library in Ohio, as well as assistance in connecting the lab. At MPL we are involved in a week's worth of software training for our staff in order to increase our productivity and serve our patrons better. We are looking forward to bringing the lab back to MPL in the future to offer special technology training sessions to our patrons. It's a great example of your tax dollars at work!

Save The Dates for new Meet the Author series

Please plan to join us for all of our upcoming Meet the Author evenings this Fall. On August 23 Lawrence Weeks will discuss and sign his Scattered Siblings: An Adoptee's Search for His Biological Roots. We will host Pulitzer Prize winner Connie Schultz, of the Cleveland Plain Dealer on September 23. Ms. Schultz will talk about her craft and sign copies of her popular book, And His Lovely Wife. On October 16, local favorite Les Roberts will be here to discuss his latest hot title, King of the Holly Hop: A Milan Jacovich Mystery. Program details are available on our Events Calendar . We are grateful to the Friends of the Library for their support and underwriting of this important series.