Library Advocacy
Public Library Funding
Facts
- Ohio has the highest funded public libraries in the nation
- Ohio is one of only 2 states (the other is Hawaii, which is one statewide library system) that get a percentage of the General Revenue Fund (GRF)
- In other states, libraries are under city/county government and receive their funding from a line item under that entity
- Ohio Libraries are NOT the same, we are separate political subdivisions
- So yes, we do get more state funding, BUT
- We have to pay for infrastructure, building maintenance, legal services, HR services, etc.
- So yes, we do get more state funding, BUT
- House Bill 96 proposes to give libraries $485 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 & $495 million in FY 2027
- Some legislators claim this is an increase, but it is NOT
- When they say it’s an increase, they are using FY 2020 as their base number, which is skewed because:
- 2020 was the first year of Covid
- State Revenue was down
- Income Tax collections were delayed until July, which pushed them into the next fiscal year
- 2020 was the first year of Covid
- When they say it’s an increase, they are using FY 2020 as their base number, which is skewed because:
- Some legislators claim this is an increase, but it is NOT
-
- In FY 2024, libraries received $489,347,998
- The estimate from the Office of Budget and Management (OBM) is $530 million for FY 2025
- In the Governor’s proposed budget, libraries would receive $531.7 million in FY 2025 and $549.1 million in FY 2027
- HB96’s proposal of $485 million IS a cut:
- It’s $4,347,998 less than libraries received in 2024
- It’s $27 million less than what libraries received in 2023—which puts us at the same dollar amount we received 25 years ago in 2000
- It’s $45 million less than what OBM is predicting libraries would receive in FY 2025
- It’s $108 million less than what the Governor proposed over the biennium for FY 2026 & FY 2027
Tell the Ohio House: Don’t Cut My Library!
April 3, 2025: A Message from W-TCPL Executive Director Jim Wilkins
This message is a departure from our usual communications to you, our valued customers and supporters. The Warren-Trumbull County Public Library is facing an unprecedented challenge in the Ohio House of Representatives, and we need your help.
On April 1st, the Ohio House Legislature put forward its version of the biennial budget, which funds all state operations for the next 2 years. Within the state budget is the Public Library Fund (PLF), which makes up 59% of all W-TCPL funding (the remaining 41% is from local levies and miscellaneous fines and donations).
The Ohio House has recommended that the PLF be ELIMINATED and replaced with a smaller line item in the budget. If HB 96 passes as presented, it would represent a funding cut of almost $600,000 to the W-TCPL. The PLF has remained flat for the last 25 years, and W-TCPL has reached a critical point where we can no longer battle rising prices and inflation, making a reduction impossible to manage.
What does this mean for you?
A reduction to the PLF is a threat to all library programs, library materials, and library services in Trumbull County. If you want your tax dollars to come back from Columbus to Trumbull County to make great library services possible, tell your legislators, “DON’T CUT MY LIBRARY!”
Please send a message to Trumbull County State House Members and Speaker Matt Huffman.
House Members will soon be making their final recommendations to HB 96 early next week, so tell them NOW what W-TCPL services mean to you and your family and how a cut to libraries would impact you and your neighbors.
Thank you for your support of public libraries.
Contact Your Elected Officials
Ohio House of Representatives Website: www.ohiohouse.gov
Matt Huffman
State Representative, 78th District
Speaker of the House of Representatives
Contact Form: https://ohiohouse.gov/members/matt-huffman/contact
Riffe Center – 14th Floor
77 S. High Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215-6111
Phone: (614) 466-6344
Fax: (614) 719-3977
www.ohiohouse.gov/matt-huffman
Nick Santucci
State Representative, 64th District
Contact Form: https://ohiohouse.gov/members/nick-santucci/contact
House of Representatives
Riffe Center – 13th Floor
77 S. High Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215-6111
Phone: (614) 466-5441
Fax: (614) 719-0008
www.ohiohouse.gov/nick-santucci
David Thomas
State Representative, 65th District
Contact Form: https://ohiohouse.gov/members/david-thomas/contact
House of Representatives
Riffe Center – 11th Floor
77 S. High Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215-6111
Phone: (614) 466-3488
Fax: (614) 719-3965
www.ohiohouse.gov/david-thomas
Sample Email to State Legislators
Sample Letter to State Legislators
Sample Phone Call to State Legislators