May 2008

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State Librarian’s Report

National and State Legislative Days: Advocating for Library Service

 

According to T.S. Eliot, April is the cruelest month and we certainly had our share of “cruel and unusual” weather this past April.  But without a doubt this year May was the month for the most advocacy efforts.  These efforts started with the Ohio Library Council Legislative Day (May 6th; see article at http://www.olc.org/news_story041608.asp) and continued with the American Library Association National Library Legislative Day (May 13th and 14th in Washington, D.C.; more info at www.ala.org/ala/washoff/washevents/nlld/nlld2008.cfm).   This is our opportunity to:

Thank the legislators for funding libraries;

Highlight the programs this funding provides and what this means to their constituents;

Emphasize the importance of libraries in a democracy;

Talk about what additional funding could do to improve the economic, cultural, and educational environment of our state.

It is important to remember to always thank our funding sources for what we have been given.  Many of you have heard me say this before but it bears repeating: the legislators who saw it in their wisdom to set up the Library and Local Government Support Fund in Ohio are to be congratulated.  I think that it is safe to say that there are 49 other states in our Union who would love to have such a state funding mechanism: we are the envy of the country in this regard. 

We are fortunate also to have federal funding through Library Services and Technology Act funding (from the Institute of Museum and Library Services).  This funding allows us to fund competitive grants to libraries as well as to fund statewide services which benefit every Ohioan (e.g. KnowItNow, Statewide Resource Sharing, access to a core set of electronic resources).  Although our funding has declined over the past few years for a variety of reasons, we continue to be grateful for this funding and for the benefits we realize. 

Libraries are the great equalizers.  All residents, regardless of economic status or geographic location, are able to access information and material at our libraries.  High speed Internet accessibility is available to all at their Ohio public libraries.  When an individual has completed his or her formal education, he or she is able to continue learning by utilizing the public library.   And we all know that during difficult financial times, library usage increases.  Libraries are where people go to learn new skills when they lose their jobs.  Libraries are where people go to access the Internet when they can no longer afford an Internet subscription at home.  Libraries are a safety net which needs to be strengthened to provide more support during difficult financial times because that is when more people depend on them. 

The message in May was clear: thank you all the way around – to our legislators for the funding we need to provide excellent library service and to all of the librarians in Ohio who work each and every day to ensure that excellent library service is available to every resident.  What a pleasure it is to spread that message!