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Local News

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Progress Edition: Library puts levy before voters
By MICHELLE REITER

STAFF WRITER

Last year was tough for the Findlay-Hancock County Public Library, which had just begun to stabilize after the 2007 flood ravaged parts of the building and its materials.

Workers had put the finishing touches on repairs and renovations when it became clear another potential disaster was on the way: severe state funding cuts that, along with a slow economy, would result in a 30 percent revenue drop, or $725,000 annually this year and next.

That prompted the library board to cut jobs, hours and services.

Library Director Jeff Winkle said the economic losses were twofold.

The sputtering economy caused the library's state funding to be reduced by about 16 percent last spring, and that was when the board made its initial reductions in staff and operational hours.

A few months later, the Legislature reduced library budgets by $84.3 million for the 2010-2011 state budget. The library then made a second round of cuts in hours and staff.

About 92 percent of the library's budget comes from the state. Library funding had been set at 2.22 percent of the state's general revenue, but the Legislature reduced the percentage to 1.97 percent for the next two years.

In response, the library board cut full-time staff hours by 10 percent, cut part-time staff hours in half, closed Thursdays and reduced hours on other days to make up for the shortfall.

The board also eliminated benefits to part-time employees, including vacation, holiday and sick pay. Medical insurance contributions increased for full-time staff members who receive more than single coverage, and the materials budget was reduced.

Winkle said the library finished the year with a balanced budget because more than $2 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency arrived late in the year as a one-time reimbursement for flood damage.

"We did not really know until late in the year we were going to get the money," said Winkle. "So I disregarded the money during budgeting."

That would not have staved off the cuts, he said, as state funding is still falling far behind 2008 levels. Winkle said 2008 wasn't a financial boon, but it was at least stable, so the library is using that as its base number.



Levy request

To counter the shortfall, the library is putting a 0.5-mill levy request on the May ballot.

It was a decision the board made after last year's November elections, Winkle said. Not only did Hancock County and Findlay voters approve three major tax requests, but more than 80 percent of library levies passed statewide.

"People in those communities said, 'We don't want to decrease our library services,'" Winkle said. "Our community deserves the opportunity to vote."

Winkle said the levy would raise about $700,000 a year, and would cost the owner of a home with an appraised value of $100,000 about $16 a year.

The money would allow the library to return to nearly full services, but Winkle said he does not yet know if the library would hire back all 15 employees lost last year.

"We have learned to be extremely efficient," he said.

But staff hours would be restored, and employees, who are on an indefinite pay freeze, would likely be able to look forward to raises again.

Winkle has taken a 10 percent pay cut to help reduce costs.



Arlington branch

The Arlington library is open and functioning, despite the fact that a 2008 storm destroyed the back of the building. This year the library board plans to rebuild the rear of the library using $57,000 in insurance money.

Although the board would like to build a new structure in Arlington, the insurance money needs to be used this year, so the board said it makes economic sense to rebuild the rear of the building.

The cost may exceed $57,000, but if it does the library has more insurance money set aside to use for construction.

Winkle said the addition to the building should be complete this year, and the library should remain open during construction. Any closings will be announced.



Job search computers

Winkle said the library has installed five new wireless, career resource netbook computers for public use.

The computers were purchased with the help of a grant from the Northwest Ohio Regional Library System.

Winkle said the computers will serve an increasing number of patrons who use the library primarily to search for jobs. More patrons are developing resumes and cover letters, applying online for jobs and searching for jobs on library computers, and poor economic times have increased that trend, Winkle said.

Providing the netbooks will offer more resources to meet the demand, Winkle said.

Adults 18 and older can check out a netbook from the library's reference desk with a valid library card or driver's license. There are no time limits, but the netbooks may be used only for job-hunting activities.

The netbooks include Microsoft Word, resume-building software and a direct link to the Learning Express Library's Job and Career Accelerator database, which provides step-by-step job search assistance. It also helps users create professional resumes and cover letters and master interviewing and networking techniques and other employment skills.

Job and Career Accelerator is a free service available to all Ohio library patrons by the State Library of Ohio. It can be accessed at www.findlaylibrary.org by clicking on the database link.



Volunteer program

Winkle said the library continues to grow its volunteer program to help with the workload since employees are fewer in number and working shorter hours.

The library has 60-70 volunteers, he said, and 25 are trained to complete routine tasks in the library like straightening shelves and other tasks.

A levy might restore hours and employees, but not until next year, and Winkle hopes to rely on volunteer help until then.

"For people who work in libraries, it's their nature to serve as well as they can," Winkle said. "My concern is not really whether we can do it, but for how long we can do it."

On the Net:

www.findlaylibrary.org/



Reiter: 419-427-8497,

Send an e-mail to Michelle Reiter


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"They ran across it and called us," said police Sgt. Justin Hendren with the Hancock County METRICH Drug Enforcement Unit.

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High-powered growing lights, fans, and a box filled with dried marijuana were also found in the house, according to a police report.

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The Courier won't be published on Monday, in observance of the Labor Day holiday.

Because of the holiday, some advertising deadlines have been moved up this week:

Black and white display advertising for Tuesday's newspaper must be placed by noon Friday. Display advertising for Wednesday's newspaper must be placed by 2:30 p.m. Friday.

Color display advertising for the Thursday, Sept. 9 newspaper must be placed by Friday.

Classified advertising and City and Country advertising for Saturday's newspaper must be placed by 2 p.m. Friday. Classified ads for Tuesday's newspaper must be placed by 2:30 p.m. Friday.

Courier business and advertising offices will close at 3 p.m. Friday for the holiday.