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By Carol Biliczky
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 05:30 p.m. EDT, Jun 16, 2009
The North Canton Public Library appears to be the first library in Northeast Ohio to hand out pink slips this year.
The Stark County district has laid off nine — almost 10 percent of its staffing — and cut the hours of two other workers to deal with the drumbeat of bad financial news from the state of Ohio.
Treasurer Kelly Kroll said she expects state revenue to be at least 17 percent under last year's as state tax collections, the wellspring of money for libraries and other local governments, continue to dry up.
''It looks grim,'' said Lynda Murray, director of government and legal services for the Ohio Library Council, which represents the 251 library systems statewide. ''We're all trying hard to hang on.''
State revenue to Ohio libraries fell from a high of $496.5 million in 2001 to $450.5 million in 2008 to a projected low of $364.8 million this year. Ohio's public libraries get 2.22 percent of the state's general fund each month.
As it looks now, the total pot for libraries statewide looks to be about 20 percent less than last year, Murray said.
David Jennings, director of the Akron-Summit County Public Library, said the district will lose at least $2 million in state funding this year.
The effect of the state cut from $14.2 million to $12 million will be softened by the $11.6 million that it will receive from a 1.4-mill property tax.
The district will cut about $500,000 by eliminating some databases that are rarely used and buying fewer materials. No layoffs or reductions in service are planned, he said.
The Stark County District Library based in Canton has frozen positions, asked employees to take a week unpaid and instituted voluntary layoffs, Assistant Director Marge Baker said.
She said that laying off employees ''will be the last move we make before we reduce hours of service.''
Some libraries will supplement their state revenue by beefing up collections for fines, getting a better return on investments and dipping into carryover funds.
Thirty-four percent have local levies, up from 25 percent just five years ago, so they have a cushion, Murray said.
But even local levies are no panacea. The North Canton district's .5-mill continuing operating levy was passed in 1993 and generates just $200,000 a year, Kroll, the district treasurer, said.
While North Canton library trustees may put a bigger levy on the ballot, they won't decide that until 2010 — too late to help this year's budget, library Director Karen Sonderman said.
''There won't be a lot of extras,'' in materials purchases, she said.
It's also unclear how much the district will save by laying off staff and how much it will cut from its periodicals, DVD, book and magazine budget after the layoffs are completed.
The staff in the Ohio Association of Public School Employees has bumping rights, so employees who were laid off can take the jobs of employees with less seniority elsewhere in the library.
Carol Biliczky can be reached at 330-996-3729 or cbiliczky@thebeaconjournal.com.
The North Canton Public Library appears to be the first library in Northeast Ohio to hand out pink slips this year.
The Stark County district has laid off nine — almost 10 percent of its staffing — and cut the hours of two other workers to deal with the drumbeat of bad financial news from the state of Ohio.
Treasurer Kelly Kroll said she expects state revenue to be at least 17 percent under last year's as state tax collections, the wellspring of money for libraries and other local governments, continue to dry up.
''It looks grim,'' said Lynda Murray, director of government and legal services for the Ohio Library Council, which represents the 251 library systems statewide. ''We're all trying hard to hang on.''
State revenue to Ohio libraries fell from a high of $496.5 million in 2001 to $450.5 million in 2008 to a projected low of $364.8 million this year. Ohio's public libraries get 2.22 percent of the state's general fund each month.
As it looks now, the total pot for libraries statewide looks to be about 20 percent less than last year, Murray said.
David Jennings, director of the Akron-Summit County Public Library, said the district will lose at least $2 million in state funding this year.
The effect of the state cut from $14.2 million to $12 million will be softened by the $11.6 million that it will receive from a 1.4-mill property tax.
The district will cut about $500,000 by eliminating some databases that are rarely used and buying fewer materials. No layoffs or reductions in service are planned, he said.
The Stark County District Library based in Canton has frozen positions, asked employees to take a week unpaid and instituted voluntary layoffs, Assistant Director Marge Baker said.
She said that laying off employees ''will be the last move we make before we reduce hours of service.''
Some libraries will supplement their state revenue by beefing up collections for fines, getting a better return on investments and dipping into carryover funds.
Thirty-four percent have local levies, up from 25 percent just five years ago, so they have a cushion, Murray said.
But even local levies are no panacea. The North Canton district's .5-mill continuing operating levy was passed in 1993 and generates just $200,000 a year, Kroll, the district treasurer, said.
While North Canton library trustees may put a bigger levy on the ballot, they won't decide that until 2010 — too late to help this year's budget, library Director Karen Sonderman said.
''There won't be a lot of extras,'' in materials purchases, she said.
It's also unclear how much the district will save by laying off staff and how much it will cut from its periodicals, DVD, book and magazine budget after the layoffs are completed.
The staff in the Ohio Association of Public School Employees has bumping rights, so employees who were laid off can take the jobs of employees with less seniority elsewhere in the library.
Carol Biliczky can be reached at 330-996-3729 or cbiliczky@thebeaconjournal.com.
Comments
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san fran, ca
Posted 06:34 PM, 06/16/2009
better sell more lottery tickets to get that revenue up so the library will stay open! where will the homeless go now??
Canton, Oh
Posted 07:09 PM, 06/16/2009
that's to bad its a nice library with good people working there. aca your kidding me with that comment right. lottery is for schools not library. not to mention the lottery is struggle to so it isn't going to help much.
Canton, OH
Posted 07:09 PM, 06/16/2009
SHHHHHHHHHHHH. . . It's a Library. .QUIET !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted 07:47 PM, 06/16/2009
At least they have that amazing new entrance... right!
Posted 07:53 PM, 06/16/2009
The North Canton library has been going thru this big building renovation for the last few months... and now I read that they're having to layoff 9 people... I get the feeling that their financial priorities are all screwy... the building was fine as it was...
Akron, OH
Posted 08:46 PM, 06/16/2009
I do not know how the author could declare that "The North Canton Public Library appears to be the first library in Northeast Ohio to hand out pink slips this year."
There are hundreds of libraries in the northeast Ohio region, but she mentions a couple as proof that these are the first layoffs.
Akron, OH
Posted 08:49 PM, 06/16/2009
The renovation was started back in 2008 and funds were committed already before the state reduced library funding.
Tepplin, DC
Posted 09:57 PM, 06/16/2009
This is just the beginning.
Tallmadge, OH
Posted 11:32 PM, 06/16/2009
North Canton is broke since their golden goose Hoover went belly up. Good they took action now to balance their budget. With today's internet, librarys are things of the past like black and white tv's, vhs recorders, and 8 track tape players.
Akron, OH
Posted 12:38 AM, 06/17/2009
@OldManGrump, usage statistics of libraries does not show that they are a thing of the past.
You are just upset they are now longing lending VHS and 8-tracks cassettes so you have no purpose for them.
akron, oh
Posted 12:52 AM, 06/17/2009
Hey OMG- I enjoy your points, buy GSMR just made me LMAO with that 8 track joke!
Seriously, the fact that Obama stimulated rich, greedy banks and car companies makes this story hit home, hard. This should never happen! Layoffs at a library? Sounds like these politicians will finance and build that "bridge to nowhere" and ignore the rest of us regular folk who just work and raise our kids. This economy sucks. Gas prices suck. And being an unemployed library worker....that may make Al Bundy smile.
Akron, OH
Posted 08:15 AM, 06/17/2009
{{{David Jennings, director of the Akron-Summit County Public Library, said the district will lose at least $2 million in state funding this year.}}}
I wonder iff'n they regret buyin' that rusted frog yet??
North Canton, OH
Posted 09:56 AM, 06/17/2009
This is bad news. After that renovation that took a while to complete. They had some very nice people working over there. They always helped me out, how sad. Where are you going to work at now?
akron, oh
Posted 12:17 PM, 06/17/2009
As usual OMG makes another MORONIC comment-library usuage is WAY up due to the economy-people borrowing DVD and using the computers since they have given up there home internet. Try going into the N Canton library sometime-always a wait for the computers and no it's not just kids playing games on them either-try adults looking for jobs. Sad that they had to lay off these folks as this library is very nice and ALWAYS busy.
Posted 01:28 PM, 06/17/2009
Its Mayor Don's fault, another good reason for the recall. Or maybe recall the officials in North Canton. Or President Obama. Recall them all.
PS OMG, I still use VHS tapes, I have a small B&W TV in my kitchen, and I still have some 8 track tapes (but don't have the player anymore).
Posted 06:26 PM, 06/17/2009
"The North Canton Public Library appears to be the first library in Northeast Ohio to hand out pink slips this year."
Not true. I was a circulation clerk at Portage County District Library, and I was laid off back in February due to budget cuts.
Akron, OH
Posted 07:52 PM, 06/17/2009
More proof OMG has no idea what he is talking about:
http://www.cleveland.com/news/index.ssf/2009/06/libraries_deal_with_falling_re.html
