February 22, 2008
The State Library of Ohio Budget Reduction Plan
The State Library received notification from the Office of Budget & Management (OBM) on February 15, 2008 with the results of our Budget Reduction Plan for FY 2008 and FY 2009. These reductions affected GRF (General Revenue Funds) for the State Library. Other funding sources within the State Library were also affected as some GRF reductions were offset with obligations being met with other sources of funding. Budget line items that received a 10% reduction were given the flexibility of taking a different percentage reduction in each fiscal year as long as the total was still achieved.
For State Library internal operations, we received a 10% reduction. We plan to achieve the budget reduction in FY 2008 and in FY 2009 through elimination of positions as well as reductions in maintenance, equipment and library materials.
OPLIN and the Regional Library Systems received a 10% reduction in their GRF funding.
The State Library rental obligation at 274 East First Avenue was exempted from the10% reduction, but Governor Strickland requested that state agencies review their office space for potential savings. This is exactly what the State Library did and we plan to release approximately 16,000 square feet of space to the Landlord. To accomplish this, the collection has been shifted -- 65,000 items and many, many shelving units were moved by State Library staff themselves.
Included in this 16,000 square footage were staff cubicles and offices. The staff will be integrated into other available office space within the facility.
The Ohioana Library rent, within the State Library budget, was also exempted from a reduction.
The Regional Libraries for the Blind and Physically Handicapped at the Cleveland Public Library and at the Public Library of Cincinnati & Hamilton Library were exempted from the 10% reduction.
Implementation of these reductions within the various appropriation line items of the State Library budget will not be easy, but they are manageable. We appreciate the support and concern of the Ohio library community.
February 7, 2008
State Librarian's Letter to the Ohio Library Community