Director’s Blog

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!

The meeting rooms at the Westerville Public Library are a popular site for a wide array of meetings and events. On Sept. 30, a women’s economic forum booked by the Ohio Campaign for Change featured Madeleine Albright, the first woman to become the United States Secretary of State.

Interested in booking a room for your next non-profit event or meeting? Reserve one now!

The November election is right around the corner and we want you to be prepared!

Take a look at our list of links for information on voter registration, polling locations, and local candidates and issues. Or take a look at the latest election news.

What about your elected officials? Find out more about the U.S. Senators and Representatives, or find out more about the Ohio Senators and Representatives.

Interested in reading up on the election process or learning about some of the hot campaign issues? Check out these books on the topic.

Not old enough to vote? There’s still a lot to learn about the election process! Check out these links to get an idea of how it all works. Or check out these books on the topic.

Important Dates to Remember

Voter Registration Application Deadline: When registering to vote or changing your address, your application (mailed to your county’s Board of Elections or to the Secretary of State’s office) must be postmarked no later than October 6th.

Absentee Ballot Application Deadline: Applications must be received by your county’s Board of Elections by noon on November 1st.

Absentee Ballot Deadline: Absentee ballots must be postmarked no later than November 3rd (if mailed), and must be received by your county’s Board of Elections by November 14th.

Election Day: Election day is Tuesday, November 4th, 2008. Don’t forget to take a valid ID to the voting booth!

With gas and food prices rising, and the housing markets falling, who wouldn’t be interested in something for free?

Well, the library is all about offering things for free!

So why not take advantage of our free wi-fi access, our free laptop loans (for in-library use), our free blockbuster DVD rentals, our free eBooks, eAudiobooks, and eMusic, or even our free phone booths (for local calls only.)

At the library, you can even get expert advice for free! Why not attend one of our many events hosted by experts in their field, including Saving for College, A Reading by Westerville Poets, A Painting Workshop with Donna Dewberry, or Ghost Ballads.

When I feel that shopaholic urge threatening to derail my investment plans, I go to the library with cloth book bags and borrow 30 books at one time. I exit the building feeling like the wealthiest woman in the world, says Kimber Chin, guest blogger on My Open Wallet

Take it from a shopaholic, the library is good for your wallet!

We look forward to your visit!

Don W. Barlow

Executive Director

As part of our Going Green initiative here at the library, we will no longer be purchasing plastic bags for distribution. Until our supply of new bags runs out, we will be simultaneously offering new bags and the option of re-using a bag from a bin at the Circulation Desk.

Though plastic bags are convenient, they also pose a major threat to the environment. With over 100 billion plastic bags being used and discarded in the United States every year, the effect on the environment is undeniable.

Here are some facts:

• In the United States, about 12 million barrels of oil and 14 million trees go to producing plastic and paper bags each year.
• It can take a plastic bag up to 1,000 years to decompose.
• China, Ireland, Uganda, San Francisco, and parts of Australia have already banned plastic bag production and/or distribution.
• Plastic bags pose a threat to marine and wildlife, clogging sewers, entangling birds, and getting swallowed by whales and other wildlife.

Here at the Westerville Public Library, we take our role as community leader and steward of the environment seriously. Our previous green efforts have included implementing paper recycling, offering cell phone & printer cartridge recycling to patrons, switching to environmentally friendly cleaning supplies, and installing energy efficient light bulbs.

For more information on going green, check out these resources!

Please note: We will not be accepting donations of plastic bags for reuse or recycling. But feel free to BYOB: Bring your own bag!

Thank you for helping us make a difference in our environment!

Don W. Barlow/Executive Director

As a part of our mission to enrich the lives of community residents, we have developed a collection of Somali Language Materials (Waxyaabo Ku Qoran Luuqada Af-Soomaliga) that includes books and DVDs about Somali life and culture.

According to an article in the Columbus Dispatch this year, “Franklin County’s immigrant population grew 158 percent between 1990 and 2004…A large portion of that population is made up of Somalis and Latinos.”

Check out our complete list of titles and reserve one today! While you’re at it, take a look at our Spanish Language books and media collection.