Library Closed Monday, September 6
The Grove City Library and the Westland Area Library will be closed Monday, September 6 in observance of Labor Day. Normal business hours will resume on Tuesday, September September 7.
Library Levy on November Ballot
Voters will be asked to approve a one mill operating levy for Southwest Public Libraries on the November, 2010 ballot. If passed, a 10-year, one-mill levy would replace funds lost since 2001, and generate $2,573,995 the first year. Cost to homeowners would be $30.63 annually or $2.55 per month for the owner of a home appraised at $100,000. Senior citizens eligible for the Homestead Exemption would pay less.
The SPL Board is taking this action in response to severe budget cuts the library has experienced over several years, as a result of Ohio’s declining economy. Southwest Public Libraries currently receives 95% of its funding from the State of Ohio through the Public Library Fund. Since 2001, SPL annual revenue has fallen from $4.5 million to just over $3 million. With inflation, SPL’s funding is $2.5 million per year lower than is was in 2001.
Nearly all services offered by SPL have seen significant cuts or elimination. The Central Crossing Library was closed, Outreach services curtailed, and operating hours were cut by one-third including the elimination of Sunday hours. Purchases of books, audio-visual materials, and databases have been reduced by 75%. There has also been a reduction in all programming, including education programming for children.
The library staff has been reduced by 35%; in all 65 positions have been cut. SPL has not given pay raises to employees in the last ten years, and has instituted mandatory unpaid furlough days amounting to pay cuts of approximately 10%.
Additional funds from a levy would be used to revive library collections and buildings, and also restore services to the public that have been cut since 2001. Services to be restored include Outreach service, longer hours, including Sunday hours, and more educational programs for children. Buildings will be repaired and library collections revived through the purchase of new books and audio-visual materials.
Thank You Wal-Mart
Connie Abate, Office Manager for Southwest Public Libraries, recently accepted a generous grant of $1,000 from Wal-Mart's Tracy Ezell, Human Resources Manager , Wal-Mart Regional Operations Center #9850.
With library funding at an all-time low, donations of this magnitude help greatly to purchase needed materials and to provide programming for library customers of all ages.
The Wal-Mart Foundation continues to be the library's largest corporate donor.
