Libraries face cuts if state revenues don't improve

Darlene Herley of Englewood reads to (from left) Hannah Watson, Kate White (rear), Grant Moore and Hope Watson during Tadpole Tales on Tuesday, March 16, at the Huber Heights branch of the Dayton Metro Library. Tadpole Tales is a program of stories, songs and crafts for children 2 to 3 years old. Dayton Metro Library may need to cut more services because of budget cuts. Staff photo by Jim Noelker

JIM NOELKER/Tadpole Tales at the Dayton Metr Darlene Herley of Englewood reads to (from left) Hannah Watson, Kate White (rear), Grant Moore and Hope Watson during Tadpole Tales on Tuesday, March 16, at the Huber Heights branch of the Dayton Metro Library. Tadpole Tales is a program of stories, songs and crafts for children 2 to 3 years old. Dayton Metro Library may need to cut more services because of budget cuts. Staff photo by Jim Noelker

ENLARGE PHOTO

Library board seeking patron feedback on future plans

Antioch College's free tuition offer attracts 2,500
2/12/12
Tea Party’s impact may be strongest for general election
2/12/12
Bellbrook High threat prompts police to increase security
2/12/12
'Powerball' numbers from $325M jackpot
2/12/12
Education strong determinant with work success
2/12/12
> More headlines

By Lynn Hulsey, Staff Writer Updated 12:01 AM Wednesday, March 17, 2010

The day of reckoning for more Dayton Metro Library cuts will come sooner than expected — likely in 2011 — if dismal revenues from the state don’t improve, according to Tim Kambitsch, executive director.

Dayton Metro and libraries across the Miami Valley saw revenue from the state decline nearly 19 percent during the first quarter over the same period last year, a direct result of the state’s tax revenues coming in lower than expected. The decline exceeded the nearly 7 percent decline that the state projected in December for 2010, Kambitsch said.

“Whatever new low we get to, it always seems to be a new ceiling for us,” said Kambitsch, noting that about 46 percent of library revenues come from the state. “We are trying to avoid the big decisions of cutting hours or locations.”

Library patrons are likely to continue to see fewer employees working as the Dayton library uses furloughs to reduce costs. And a $1 million cut in the materials budget means people will find there are not as many books, CDs and DVDs and other materials to choose from, Kambitsch said.

Area library officials said voter generosity helps cushion the continued problems with state funding this year. All eight area library systems with levies on the November ballot were successful.

“We would be in so much trouble if that levy hadn’t passed,” Troy-Miami County Public Library Director Rachelle Miller said of the library’s 0.6 mill operating levy.

But midyear state cuts last year combined with a reduction in the funding formula for libraries have each library system counting pennies and staying in cutback mode. Libraries including Dayton Metro and Oakwood’s Wright Memorial Library have dropped out of the MORE inter-library loan consortium and reduced the number of items people can place on reserve, both efforts to save on staffing costs. Wright Memorial will start charging 50 cents per request for patrons using another inter-library loan system, said Anne Snively, director.

Area libraries are also cutting materials budgets, not replacing employees and delaying repairs, according to library directors in the region.

“We are just not buying,” said Abby Noland, director of the Preble County District Library, which will seek its first levy this fall. “We are running skeleton-tight.”

Share this article