Library Opens Up Process to Appoint Board Members

The Lakewood Board of Education is accepting applications for appointment to the Board of Trustees. The term is scheduled to start in September and last seven years.

This announcement comes a little more than a month after news that Gov. John Kasich’s two-year would continue cutting state public library funding by 5 percent in 2012 and 2013, which could be as much as $160 million in funding across the state.

The Lakewood Public Library has already lost about $600,000 in revenue – about 15 percent of its total revenue – during each of the last two years as a result of the state’s decreasing the Public Library Fund by 23 percent.

All of which means the potential new board members will face a considerable challenge during years ahead.

The board includes seven members who establish policies and long-term goals for the library, oversee its general operation, initiate and oversee its budget process, and hire and evaluate the performance of the library director and clerk-treasurer. The board is also tasked with advocating for and promoting the library.

Candidates should direct a letter of interest in qualifications to the Superintendent of Schools by May 13. More information is available at the library’s website.