By: Caroline Polen

According to The Ohio Capital Journal, the newest version of the Ohio House budget is taking a step back from getting rid of something called the Public Library Fund, which is important because that’s how a lot of libraries get their money.

Did you know there are around 124,903 libraries in the United States? A lot of them could be in trouble right now because of changes in government funding. Some libraries might lose the money they need to stay open, and that could affect students and communities.

“Public library funding is more complicated than it seems,” Amanda Brenner, the Library Media Specialist at Bellbrook High School said. “Libraries get money from a mix of local, state, and federal sources, and when any of those get cut, it can cause big problems.”

That means if even one source of money disappears, libraries could struggle to keep going.

“In Ohio, public libraries are facing serious budget cuts,” Brenner said.

“Right now, public libraries receive funding from the Public Library Fund,” Nadeen Abusada from News 5 Cleveland said. “While Governor Mike DeWine wants to increase the amount libraries receive, the Ohio House of Representatives wants to eliminate the fund and create a different distribution system, which could result in a $100 million cut.”

That’s a lot of money. Some smaller libraries could end up closing if they lose that support.

“Many libraries depend on money from their local and state governments to stay open,” Brenner said. “But when budgets are tight, especially in small towns or lower-income areas, libraries are often one of the first things to lose funding.”

And it’s not just in Ohio. Even federal library funding is in danger. There’s a national group called the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) that helps libraries all over the U.S., and even that is getting shut down.

“Library funding at the national level is also at risk,” Brenner said. “The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), a federal agency that supports libraries and museums across the country, is being shut down by an order from President Trump. Most of its staff have been put on leave, and it has stopped giving out money to help libraries.”

School libraries don’t have their own special budget like public ones do. It depends on how much money each school district decides to give them.

“In Ohio, school libraries don’t get a separate, guaranteed budget like public libraries do,” Brenner said. “Instead, they’re funded through each school district’s general budget. That means it’s up to the district, or even just the school, to decide how much money, if any, goes to the library.”

Governor DeWine also wants to take money away from public schools and give more to private schools and charter schools instead.

“Governor Mike DeWine is proposing less money for traditional public schools while increasing funds for vouchers and charter schools,” Brenner said. “Specifically, his plan includes nearly $500 million more for private school vouchers and charter schools, even as 349 out of Ohio’s 611 school districts are projected to see funding decreases. Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools is one of these districts.”

This raises some concern. 

“One concern I have about the library at BHS is how public school funding cuts in Ohio could affect our school and my position here,” Brenner said. “When a school levy failed a few years ago, two librarian positions were cut from the district, which was a big loss. If BSS [Bellbrook Sugarcreek Schools] ends up getting less money from the state, they might have to make more tough choices, and that could mean fewer school librarians in our district.”

And it’s not just about losing staff. If there’s no money, they also might not be able to get new books or materials.

“Another thing I worry about is losing the budget to buy new books,” Brenner said. “Without funding, we wouldn’t be able to keep the library collection current, and students could miss out on new materials. Libraries are an important part of a school, but when budgets get tight, they’re often one of the first things at risk.”

To learn more about funding for libraries you can visit this article from the Cincinnati Public Library