Lakewood Public Library to Lose Over $100,000 in State Funding

Now that Gov. John Kasich’s two-year, $112 billion operating budget has gotten the green light, the will see a 6.5 percent cut in state funding over the next biennium (fiscal years 2012-2013).

However, slashing library funding is nothing new.

Gov. Ted Strickland was a proponent of similar cuts, and during his tenure, Lakewood’s state library funding took a 23 percent hit, which translates to a $571,000 loss, library director James Crawford said. 

Add on the 6.5 percent over the next two fiscal years, and that’s another $117,000 – bringing the grand total to $688,000 from 2008 through 2013. 

"These are tough times for public libraries, just as they are tough times for our patrons," Crawford said. "As difficult as these library funding issues are, we are committed to offering our community excellent library services.” 

Despite the sustained losses, the library has not cut its hours or closed on nights or weekends which is, in part, due to the fact that it has the lowest overhead and operational costs of any library in Cuyahoga County. 

Moreover, by staying open until 9 p.m. seven days a week, the library is open more hours per week than any of Ohio’s 251 public library systems, Crawford pointed out. 

"Through responsible financial management and a lean and incredibly capable staff, the Lakewood Public Library continues to distinguish itself as the most accessible library in the state,” he said.