The two-year budget Republican lawmakers have sent on to Gov. Mike DeWine includes changes for the state’s 251 public library systems. Those will affect what money they get and how they display their media to patrons, especially those under 18.
The budget has a $25 million cut for libraries from current funding. State funding will be reduced to $479.7 million in the first year of the budget, which is a loss from the $504.6 million that was distributed to libraries in the current fiscal year. That includes $10 million that will be going to other agencies as a result of the end of the Public Library Fund.
That fund had been in place since 2008, when it was 2.22%. It's at 1.7% now. In his budget, DeWine raised that to 1.75%, saying at the Ohio Library Day event at the Statehouse in April, "I've always supported libraries. I'm very proud of our libraries in the state for. And I have visited many of them all throughout the state. They are really the center of the communities."
Lawmakers stripped that out, so in future budgets libraries will receive direct appropriations rather than a guaranteed percentage of state revenues.
The Ohio Library Council said it's also concerned about a provision ordering libraries to ensure materials related to sexual orientation or gender identity can’t be seen by minors.
"The language itself is only five lines long," said Ohio Library Council Executive Director Michelle Francis. “We do feel like it's censorship in this case. The language is is overly broad and vague. This is really up to the individuals. Our job as libraries is to make sure that people have access to information.”
Francis said it will likely end up being a costly, unfunded mandate.
"For some of our libraries, we're talking about millions of volumes," French said. "One library system in Northwest Ohio said it may take their staff up to six years to review all of their collection to make sure that it's in the appropriate location under these provisions that we really don't know how they would be implemented. For one of our larger systems, they're estimating that it'll cost over $3 million for them, as far as purchasing materials and and making sure that they're in compliance."
But beyond that, Francis said she's not sure the language is legal.
"We do believe the language is unconstitutional. And in fact, similar language has been found to be unconstitutional in Arkansas," Francis said.
DeWine has until June 30 to sign the budget. He's issued line item vetoes on all three of the previous budgets he's signed.
