LISBON - The Lepper Library is in financial trouble and asking for help from supporters by asking them to sponsor magazine subscriptions.

Library Director Nancy Simpson said to ensure they are able continue to offer the same magazines in the face of massive funding cuts, they are asking patrons to "adopt" a magazine by paying the subscription renewal for one year.

"We are gong to start an 'adopt-a-magazine' program so we don't have to decimate our magazine program," she said. "How many we keep will depend on how many are adopted."

This is among the series of measures, including more pay cuts, approved by the library board this week in response to continuing funding cuts at the state level. State tax revenue is used to fund all public libraries in Ohio and, in most cases, is the sole source of funding.

Because of the recession, state tax revenue has been on the decline for the past year, resulting in one funding reduction after another for libraries. The Lepper Library, for example, received $547,000 in 2008, which was cut to $456,000 this year. Simpson said the state is telling them to expect the allocation to drop to $400,000 in 2010.

"What can you do when your budget goes from $785,000 (in 2007) to $400,000 in 2010," Simpson said.

The amount spent on magazines is an example of how the library has attempted to cope with funding cuts. The library spent $9,000 on magazine and newspapers subscriptions as recently as 2007, but it was cut to $6,500 this year. Simpson said it will be reduced to $3,000 in 2010, which is why they are starting the magazine adoption program to keep the periodicals at current levels.

The allocation for book purchases also is being cut drastically, from $55,000 to $20,000 next, year, while the allocation for DVDs and CDs is being slashed from $20,000 to $8,000.

The following is a list of the other cost-cutting actions approved by the library board:

Requiring two full-time employees to retire, although they don't have the 30 years in needed to receive maximum retirement benefits. They will return as part-time workers. Estimated annual savings: $25,000.

Make permanent a 10 percent pay cut imposed earlier in the year on all full-time employees, including Simpson. Estimated annual savings: $10,000.

Reduced hours for other employees. Estimated savings: $14,000.

"It upsets me to have to do this to the staff," Simpson said. "The only thing that makes me feel better is nobody is losing their job."

The library Bookmobile was retained but will be on the road only four days a week instead of five. The library serves several school districts as well as the Sheltered Workshop for the mentally handicapped, the prison-alternative facility for women in Lisbon, several nursing homes, and rural communities such as New Waterford, Guilford Lake and Hanoverton.

Despite the cuts, library hours will remain the same.

"The library will still be open, yes, but it may be little more self-serve than people like, and the depths of the book and magazine collections will not be maintained," Simpson said of the cuts.

Public libraries are allowed to charge rental fees for books, DVDs and other items that are checked out, but Simpson said that is contrary to their mission of serving the community.

"We're committed to the service we provide, that it should remain free," she said.

Meanwhile, construction has begun on the library expansion project, funded with donations and money set aside over the past 10 years by the board. Simpson said the general contractor told her the extra space shouldn't raise gas and electric bills because of the new energy efficient heating/air conditioning system that will be installed.

"I hope they're telling me the truth about that," she said.

The library addition is expected to open sometime next year, by which time Simpson hopes the state's economy will have rebounded and library revenue will again be on the rise.

"The board hopes to be able to reverse all of this sooner rather than later, but that depends on the economy," she said.

tgiambroni@mojonews.com