Thegatewaynews.com - Library may close

RPC Photo / Miles Jung-Kilbreath Jill Rzyczycki, left, reads to her daughter Jordan at Pierce-Streetsboro Library Saturday following the announcement by the Portage County District Library Thursday that the branch may close due to state budget cuts.

by Miles Jung-Kilbreath

Reporter

Streetsboro --As dozens of children arrived at Pierce Streetsboro Library on June 27 for their summer reading club, Portage County Library Board of Trustees member Todd Puster stood near the entrance informing patrons the branch may close.

"It's reprehensible. I think of all the things that they are cutting and the libraries should be the last thing that should be cut," patron Heather Buckley said Saturday.

Gov. Ted Strickland has proposed a 30-percent cut to library funding in the state's biennial budget, which has a June 30 deadline. To cope with the cuts, Cecelia Swanson, director of the Portage County District Library, outlined proposed budget cuts at a June 25 Board meeting, which would include closing the branches in Streetsboro, Randolph and Windham.

Puster said the district would also have to reduce staff positions from 70 employees to 35, but said it was too soon to know if all the employees of the Streetsboro branch would be laid off or if some could be moved to other branches.

Along with the proposed cuts, the district already experienced a 20-percent loss in revenue earlier this year due to falling income tax revenue.

Puster said he came to the library to help spread the word about the possible closing and to encourage patrons to call or e-mail state legislatures about the cuts.

The board may have to close either the Streetsboro or Aurora branch because of the cuts, which makes up 30 percent of the districts patrons, according to Puster. He said that Streetsboro was targeted to close because Aurora has a larger branch, has "slightly higher" circulation and it's considered easier for Streetsboro residents to go to the Aurora branch, rather than vice-versa.

"The hours at the remaining three branches [in Garrettsville, Aurora and Brimfield] will also have to be reduced, so we will have more people coming to them, but with a smaller window to serve them," Puster said.

Acting Mayor Art Scott said has been talking with Puster about options to keep the library from closing. He said ideas have included having a public and private trust to help fund the library or the city possibly offering assistance, but that all options are still being considered.

"It would be a real troubling if it closes. What would it say to our children if we can't keep it open?" Scott said.

To offset the nearly $1 million in revenue lost this year if the budget cuts are made, Puster said that a levy is a possibility, but he understands how hard it is to ask people for funds in the current economy.

Buckley said the closing of the branch would also affect her children, who come to library for school projects and is a resource for teachers as well.

Brandon Lacey, 13, said that without the branch he would have no place to go to find books. Patron Jill Rzyczycki, who came to the branch with her daughter, said it was "horrific" that the branch could close. She said if other patrons where forced to go to another branch, it could "snow ball" by leading them to spend money on items like gas or food in other communities instead of in Streetsboro.

Patron Sandy Keener said she brings her four grandchildren to the branch and they have discovered reading there. She said the children recently read eight books from the branch.

"They are really going to be upset," she said.

Puster said there is no time table for implementing the proposed cuts, but the longer they take before starting them "the deeper they would have to be."

The board will have a special meeting at 4:30 p.m. July 7 at the library's administrative offices in Garrettsville to consider implementing whatever cuts may become necessary.

Puster said a list of state officials patrons can contact is available at the districts Web site, www.portagecounty.lib.oh.us.