Ohio libraries under siege

I'm a librarian for a rural library system in Ohio and we just received word today that the Governor's proposed budget will cut funding for Ohio public libraries by 50%. Many libraries will be forced to cut services and hours, or to close outright.

As you can guess, given the economic downturn, Ohio library usage has dramatically increased over the last two years. As patrons trim their personal budgets, they rely on libraries more and more for access to reading material and other media. We're also the one-stop clearinghouse for government and community information. People have also come to rely on us for job searches and assistance and for free, public broadband Internet access...