COLUMBUS—Columbus Metropolitan Library (CML) is launching a postcard-writing campaign to share customer impact stories with Ohio legislators. This campaign comes as the Ohio Senate is considering the state budget proposal, recently passed by the Ohio House, that would end the longtime funding mechanism for Ohio’s public libraries and replace it with a line item.
“By shifting [public libraries’] funding source to a line-item appropriation as proposed in the House budget, uncertainty and stagnation are brought to communities that rely on their public library,” said CML CEO Lauren Hagan in prepared remarks to the Ohio Senate Education Committee on May 12. “Basic state funding for public libraries recognizes our unparalleled impact on all members of our community and ensures we can continue to meet the needs of Ohioans without interruption or compromise.”
Customers of all ages can stop in any of CML’s 23 locations throughout the remainder of May and fill out a postcard that encourages them to “write or draw a picture of what the library means” to them.
CML leaders will collect completed postcards and deliver them to Ohio Senate President Rob McColley in early June.
