4/18/25 Update From Director Randy Bergdorf:
I was in Columbus for the Ohio Library Council’s Legislative Day on April 8, but it has taken me a moment to understand all that transpired. On that day there were dueling proposals to determine library funding for the next two fiscal years. The Governor was proposing $1.08 billion, and the House was proposing $980 million.
For decades the State of Ohio funded libraries by allocating a fixed percentage of the General Revenue Fund (GRF) into the Public Library Fund (PLF). Current law has set the PLF to be 1.7% of the GRF. Governor DeWine’s proposed budget raised the PLF to 1.75% of the GRF for the next two fiscal years. That would have generated $1.08 billion over those two years. In the end, the House proposal that was approved is projected to generate $990 million for that same time period, or $90.8 million less than the Governor’s proposal. Also, the name “Public Library Fund” was retained, but the mechanism for putting resources in the fund was changed. Instead of the current 1.7% of the General Revenue Fund (or the 1.75% proposed in the Governor’s budget), what emerged is a line-item fund with an amount determined by negotiation instead of percentage. The House version of the biennium budget does indeed include “more” funding for libraries than their first iteration, but the amount allocated would still be $90.8 million less than that proposed by Governor DeWine.
This budget process is far from over. The state budget debate will now shift to the Ohio Senate. There will be a Senate version of the budget, likely a reconciliation version of the budget and then the final approval by the Governor. I would like to thank all of you who responded to our email alert or our Facebook post and contacted your state legislators. Most impactful were your stories about how the Peninsula Library has positively influenced your lives. In all likelihood, we will be sending out further alerts that will request your assistance.
On another front, the Peninsula Library has annually applied to the State Library of Ohio for a grant to assist with the Summer Reading Club. We applied again this year and were notified that a grant in the amount of $984 had been awarded. The State Library receives the funding for these sub-grants from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), a federal agency. The State Library sent out emails on April 1 notifying the grant recipients that the entire staff of the IMLS had been placed on administrative leave. There was no one available to process the grants. Upon hearing this news, our ever-wonderful Friends of the Peninsula Library agreed to fund the Summer Reading program for an amount up to $2,000.
We are so grateful for your help this far as we work together to keep Ohio’s public libraries adequately funded.
Randy Bergdorf
Original Page Content (published 4/3/25):
We Need Your Help!
WHY: Substitute House Bill 96 will eliminate the Public Library Fund (PLF) and relegate library funding to a line-item in the Ohio budget. It also cuts library funding by $100.8 million over the next two years. The Peninsula Library receives 77% of its funding through the PLF.
WHAT: We are asking our patrons to contact their members in the State House of Representatives, as well as Speaker of the House Matt Huffman. Please tell them what the Peninsula Library means to you. Also, two key points to relate are: retain the PLF and restore its funding level to 1.75% of the General Revenue Fund, and do not cut public library funding.
WHO: The Peninsula Library is in the Ohio House district represented by Bill Roemer. In addition, please contact Speaker of the House Matt Huffman.
HOW: Representative Bill Roemer
Phone (614) 644-5085
Email at ohiohouse.gov/members/bill-roemer/contact
Speaker of the House Matt Huffman
Phone (614) 466-6344
Email at ohiohouse.gov/members/matt-huffman/contact
WHEN: NOW! And please forward this message to your family, friends, and neighbors.
For further information please contact Peninsula Library Director Randy Bergdorf at randy.bergdorf@peninsulalibrary.org or at (330) 657-2665.