Casualties are many when it comes to budget cutting. Our area's public libraries are on the state's chopping block and staff members are cringing in anticipation of what is coming.
As part of a campaign to reduce state spending by $3.2 billion, Gov. Ted Strickland is proposing a 30 percent reduction in library funding. That would come on top of a 20 percent cut enacted earlier this year. The governor's office and state legislators are busily working to draft a state budget by this Tuesday. That is when the current two-year budget expires.
Although libraries such as the fine facility we have in Salem would remain in operation, services would be severely compromised.
As Salem Public Library Director Brad Stephens emphasized, it is cruelly ironic that something acutely akin to the educational process such as library systems are getting incessantly whacked by a governer and staff presumably so big on teaching and learning. Granted, in a perfect world, there aren't any budget cuts and every program gets the money it needs to flourish. This isn't a perfect world and some cuts, regardless of specific program, have to be expected. But cutting library budgets by what will end up being 50 percent is exceptionally harsh. Libraries are too valuable to us. The Salem Public Library is a city jewel and has been that way for decades. This is excessive budget cutting done by the book. In this case, book after library book.
The Salem Library has a skillful staff and an array of resources - not just the plentiful books but movies, CDs and computers. The cuts will impact those materials and also limit hours and participation activities such as the highly-regarded children's story time program. The library is a great agent in fighting illiteracy. Libraries partner with the Columbiana County One Stop office in combating unemployment.
None of this should be lost. Those feeling likewise - a Salem News epoll earlier this week reflected two out of three responding were against the cuts - can let their voices be heard. Contact the governor's office at 614-466-3555; Rep. Bolon, 614-466-8022; or Sen. Jason Wilson, 614-466-6508. You can visit PLUMCWeb site, www.libraryvisit.org for an easy click and type e-mail form.
Libraries are too community entrenched and too valuable of a resource to see wholesale reductions. This corner has been a supporter of Gov Strickland, before and during his tenure as our area's representative, and during his successful run for the governor's seat in Columbus. We certainly urge him to turn the page on any thought of radical cuts that will hamper our area's library system.
