Director’s Blog

I want to take this opportunity to once again express the library staff’s appreciation to our customers!  The Westerville Public Library weathered the storm of drastic budget cuts from the decline of over 32% in state revenue. Thanks to you, we did not experience the 52% cut originally targeted at Ohio Libraries.  In one 48 hour period, over 36,000 of our customers contacted our legislator and the Governor’s Office to protest the draconian cuts, resulting in 20% of those cuts being restored.  THANK YOU!

We appreciate your patience and understanding, as the library had to close on Sundays to meet the challenges of losing nearly $900,000 in revenue.  We are committed to re-opening Sundays and even expanding those hours as soon as our budget permits.  Enough of the bad stuff!

In 2009, your library continued to grow in unprecedented fashion. The Westerville Public Library continues to be the fourth busiest library facility in Ohio and one of the busiest in the United States circulating over 2,199,000 items in 2009. Over 72,000 items were borrowed or loaned to other libraries throughout the state, through OhioLInk, SearchOhio and Library Link.

36,786 people attended the 1,492 programs held at the library, or offsite or at one of the 26 school locations in Westerville.  357,745 items were picked up at our DRIVE-UP window/Reserve Room.  WOW!

All of this was accomplished with 13 less staff members than in 2008!  I cannot overly express my appreciation and deepest respect for each and every staff member.  They accepted the challenges before us and met those challenges each and every day. They did so with enthusiasm and a determination and dedication that can only be admired.  The people of Westerville are very proud and grateful to have such dedicated public servants.  I am truly blessed to call them my colleagues!

Thank You Westerville for yet another Outstanding and record breaking year!

Don W. Barlow

Director

Interested in avoiding long lines during peak hours? Want to check out all of your items in one location? Tired of making the long trip down the hallway to our Reserve Room? We have a solution for you!

When reserving items in our online catalog, simply choose “Self-Serve Reserve” as your pickup location, and your items will be placed on our new reserve shelving around the corner from the Circulation Desk (in the library’s atrium.)

Once you’re ready to check out, simply stop at the Self-Serve Reserve shelves, find the items with your name on them and proceed to the self-checkout machines. Our self-checkout machines are fast and easy, which means more time to browse and less time standing in line!

Don’t have time to stop in the library? No problem! Simply choose “Drive-Up Reserve” when reserving items in our online catalog and your item will be placed at the library’s drive-up window on the north side of the building. Yes, it’s that easy!

Questions? Feel free to contact us!

Due to the recent $84.3 million cut in state funding for libraries, the Library budget must be reduced by an additional 11%, an overall 32% reduction so far this year. After much consideration, the Library Board of Trustees has approved the following measures to reduce the budget by an additional $900,000 total.

Reductions and cuts will include:

• Close Sunday Hours Effective August 9. Sunday is the most expensive day to operate. With staffing reduced, closing Sundays will provide staff needed for the remainder of the week.
• Reduce Personnel Expenses. Continue the hiring freeze which has reduced staff by 11 so far this year. No salary increases for staff will be given. Reductions in health care costs for staff are being prepared.
• Cut Maintenance Costs. Cancel cleaning contract. Discontinue meeting room set-ups to allow staff time for janitorial duties. Reduce HVAC servicing.
• Reduce Spending. Cut marketing budget by 60%. Reduce communications budget.  Cut back supplies.
• Reduce Materials Budget. Reduce purchases of books, periodicals, media and electronic databases.

Because the Westerville Public Library is fortunate to receive local levy support, the reductions have made limited impact on services to the public. The Board, administration and staff will strive to maintain these services.

Thank you for your continued support!

Your messages of support for your library helped convince Ohio elected officials to reject the massive cuts that had been proposed.  Thank you for your support.  However, the state budget that passed July 13 cut another 11% out of Ohio’s Public Library Fund.  Added to the 20% drop in funding for libraries the first six months of this year, these new cuts now mean a 31% loss of state funding, with potential for another 4% reduction.

Unfortunately, the Westerville Public Library cannot absorb a 31% reduction in state funding without making some difficult decisions related to maintaining services for our customers.  We are currently finalizing the plans for reductions and cost-saving measures that we will share with you shortly.  The Library Board of Trustees and library staff deeply appreciate your patience and understanding as we address the continuing and unprecedented cuts in funding.

Find out more about how you can help.

Thank you for your emails, calls and letters to the Governor and state legislators!

Your messages of support for your library helped convince Ohio elected officials to reject the massive cuts that had been proposed. The state budget that passed July 13 included additional cuts of $84.3 million to Ohio’s Public Library Fund over the next two years. Although that is not the $227.3 million originally proposed, the cuts that were approved this week, added to the 20% drop in the Public Library Fund the first six months of this year, will result in a 31% loss of state funding.

Unfortunately, the Westerville Public Library cannot absorb a 31% reduction in state funding without making some difficult decisions related to continuing the level of services our customers depend upon. We are currently finalizing the plans for service reductions and other cost-saving measures that we will share with you shortly. The Library Board of Trustees and library staff deeply appreciate your patience and understanding as we move forward in addressing the continuing and unprecedented cuts in funding.

Your continued awareness and powerful support are extremely important to your library. Please voice your need and appreciation of the services and benefits your library provides. Thank you very much for your support.

Please see this article from the Columbus Dispatch and the Ohio Library Council’s website for more information.

On Friday, June 19th, the Governor proposed a cut in the Public Library Fund of $227.3 million in fiscal years 2010 and 2011 as part of his plan to patch the $3.2 billion gap in the state budget that must be filled by June 30th.  This will mean a more than 50% cut in funding for many of Ohio’s public libraries.

This would result in drastic cuts in services, staff and hours of operation. While the state is experiencing an 18% reduction in revenue, the cut would be especially devastating for Ohio’s public libraries. Keep in mind that not a single library closed during the Great Depression.

We are encouraging all of our patrons to contact Ohio legislators and the Governor’s Office on behalf of Ohio libraries before June 30th. Let them know what your library means to you! Contact information is listed below.

Not sure what to write? Check out this sample letter.

Governor Ted Strickland
614-466-3555

Senator Bill Harris, President of the Senate
614-466-8086

Senator David Goodman, 3rd District
614-466-8064

Representative Kevin Bacon, 21st District
614-466-6030

Representative Marian Harris, 19th District
614-466-4847

Representative Nancy Garland, 20th District
614-644-6002

Representative Kris Jordan, 2nd District
614-644-6711

For more information on the budget proposal, please refer to this article from Library Journal, or the Save Ohio Libraries website.

We all know the economy is hurting and that the effects of the economic downturn will be felt by all of us. Library funding is certainly no different. The Westerville Public Library will experience an 8% reduction in state revenue in 2009. Our philosophy is that we are all in this together and the library is doing its part by drastically curtailing our expenses without making cuts in programs and services.

I want to take this opportunity to let our community know how the library will address the budget reductions.

First, the library will have no increases in personnel costs for 2009. While current staff will receive a modest 2% pay increase, the library has instituted a hiring freeze for 2009. Currently, there are four vacant positions that will not be filled. Additional vacancies throughout the year will reduce personnel costs even more.

Secondly, the costs of purchasing library materials have been returned to 2007 levels. Also, all capital projects and repairs have been placed on hold until the economic climate improves.

However, while we have dramatically reduced our expenses, budget cuts alone are not enough. We must also enhance library revenues. So, the Library Board is asking for your help! Effective January 15, 2009, library fines will be increased to match those of other area libraries. Overdue fines for books, cds, etc. will increase from 10 cents per day to 20 cents per day. Overdue fines for DVD’s will increase from $1.00 per day to $1.25 per day.

Additionally, the maximum for fines and fees has been reduced from $5.00 to only $1.00. We are asking our customers to bring their library accounts up-to-date so that additional reductions will not be needed. We certainly understand the inconvenience of some of these initiatives and ask for your understanding and support as we move forward in this difficult economic climate with what we hope will be temporary measures. With your help, we will continue to provide the very best programs and services possible.

Thank you for your continuing support!

Don W. Barlow

Director

With a new year comes a new website for the Westerville Public Library.

During these hard economic times, we realize that the library is more important than ever. You may need help with a job search. You may be looking for ways to improve your business. Or you may simply be interested in saving money by borrowing books, movies & music, rather than buying them.

We have redesigned our website with these needs in mind!

Some of our new features will include:

• An easy way to browse for new & notable books, movies, music & eBooks
• Ways for you to find out about library services and materials via Twitter, MySpace, Flickr, Delicious, SlideShare and GoodReads
• Explore guides that bundle together useful books, websites & other library services by subject, such as Small Business Resources, Consumer Shopping Guides, Educator Resources, Book Clubs, Job Searching & more
• One-click access to all of the events happening at the library today
• and much more!

Here’s a preview of what’s in store. Let us know what you think!

Have you been searching for the perfect gift for the holidays?

Do you want to “test drive” some books before you commit to one?

Take a look at our staff suggestions for books that would make great gifts! For tomboys to twenty-somethings, there’s something on the list for everyone!

(Image courtesy of Flickr.)

Also remember our Friends of the Library Gift Shoppe. They have great gifts at great prices with something for everyone on your holiday list!

All of us at the library wish you and your family a great and safe holiday season!

As a way of providing an easy means of donating needed items, the Library is hosting three seasonal opportunities for you to share with others.

The Holiday Giving Tree and the Give-A-Book donation box are set up through December 11 in Youth Services where children and adults are hanging newly purchased hats, mittens and scarves on the tree and depositing new or gently used books for children and teens. These items will be forwarded to Westerville Caring & Sharing, a volunteer non-profit group, for distribution to needy families in the district.

Also, beginning December 5, windows near the busy Library entrance will be painted as part of the Westerville Uptown Holiday Window food drive. Each non-perishable food item placed in the receptacle near the entrance counts as a “vote” for the Library’s window. The food items will be turned over to Westerville Area Resource Ministry, WARM, whose food pantry serves area residents. Last year the Uptown drive resulted in 737 pounds of food!