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The State Library Budget

 

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State Library Budget

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
By Anne Libby, Administrative Assistant and Diane Fink, Head, Fiscal & Business Services, State Library of Ohio
 
When the State Library submitted its budget proposal for fiscal years 2010 and 2011 back in September of 2008, instructions from the Office of Budget and Management (OBM) Agencies were permitted to request funding levels at 90% of the already reduced FY 2009 levels for General Revenue Funds (GRF) and at 100% of the adjusted FY 2009 levels for non-GRF funds. In addition, agencies were given the opportunity to request an additional funding. The State Library budget was submitted to OBM on September 15, 2008 for review first by the Governor’s office.
 
In February of this year, Governor Strickland unveiled the Executive budget proposal for fiscal years 2010 and 2011. In his proposal, the State Library’s main operating budget in GRF and the budget for the Regional Library Systems were recommended to be funded at 90% levels. OPLIN and the Ohio Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled (formerly the Cleveland Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped) were to be funded by the Public Library Fund (PLF). The budget for the Cincinnati Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped was to be zeroed out per the State Library’s budget request, as all operations for this service are now being handled by the Cleveland Public Library.
 
Also under the Governor’s recommendation, OPLIN was to be funded at 95% funding levels to cover the increasing telecommunications costs for providing Internet access to Ohio’s public libraries. The Ohio Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled was to be granted 95% funding levels to handle a digital format migration. Additional funding was also to be allowed for Library Services Charges to cover the anticipated increase in Statewide Resource Sharing costs. This represented an increase in spending authority only. The State Library was not set to receive “funds” to cover this expense, only the authority to pay invoices with the funds received from libraries that pay for the service. Finally, the State Library received funding to administer the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Opportunity Online Hardware Program. When the House of Representatives released their recommendations for the State Library Budget, they mirrored the Governor’s recommendations. The next stop for the budget was the Ohio Senate.
 
At the same time the budget deliberations were taking place, the state’s largest union (OCSEA) was in negotiations for a new contract. These negotiations ultimately affected all State Library personnel as other unions and exempt employees paralleled OCSEA contract terms. As a result, all employees of the State Library, the SEO Library Center, and OPLIN are required to take 10 unpaid cost savings days each year for the next two fiscal years, have their personal leave frozen for the next two fiscal years, and receive no pay increases for the duration of the contract (April 15, 2009 through February 29, 2012). Employees will, however, receive a one time lump-sum payment equivalent to 32 hours of personal leave and will receive a one-time credit of 32 hours of sick leave after July 1, 2011.
 
In May of 2009 the devastating news came that Ohio was facing a nearly 900 million dollar shortfall in the current fiscal year. With rainy day funds now being tapped for balancing the budget for FY 2009 and budget deficits continuing to grow, the Senate was faced with some difficult decisions. When the State Library’s budget came out of the Senate, the GRF main operating budget had been cut an additional 5%, the Regional Library Systems received a cut of nearly 28%, and the additional spending authority requested for Library Service Charges had been removed.  
 
When House Bill 1 finally went to Conference Committee in June, it was assumed more cuts were coming. The Executive and Legislative branches appeared to be at an impasse and three separate interim budgets were issued in July until an agreement could be reached. The final numbers for the State Library were as follows:
 
  • The GRF main operating budget was restored to a 90% funding level which was the level recommended in the Executive proposal. That still represented a 10% cut in funding from the adjusted FY 2009 budget.
  • OPLIN was granted a 95% funding level based on the adjusted FY 2009 GRF budget. That still represented a 5% cut in funding from FY 2009. OPLIN also received two million in funding/spending authority to expend funds received for E-Rate and other services. 
  • The Regional Library Systems received an additional $17,531 cut in funding from the Senate version of the bill. That meant an overall funding reduction of 30% from the Executive recommendation which was based on a 90% level of the adjusted FY 2009 budget.
  • The additional spending authority requested in Library Service Charges to cover increased fees for statewide delivery services was not restored.
  • Funds were established to administer the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Opportunity Online Hardware Program. 
  • A 95% funding level for the Ohio Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled was granted.
  • Funding for OPLIN and the Ohio Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled was moved from GRF to the PLF.
 
It is unknown at this time if there will be additional reductions in the FY 2010-2011 budget. The State Library did request additional funds/spending authority for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for FY 2010-2011 once the final numbers were calculated for the libraries to receive funds to purchase computers and technical support.
 
The decrease in funding to the State Library over the past several biennia has resulted in a 43% reduction in agency staffing levels since 2000. Where we once had 130 budgeted positions, we are now down to 72. The State Library rental obligation continues to consume 25% of the GRF operating budget, even with the 16% reduction in space we realized in FY 2008. Over the past eight fiscal years, the State Library budget has been reduced 28% with one of the main areas affected being our library material/collection budget (a 23% reduction).
 
While these figures are sobering, the State Library is not alone in its suffering. It seems no one is immune. State agencies, libraries, and businesses all across the state of Ohio are feeling the pain of the current recession. It is times like these where we must adhere to our goals and truly become creative and collaborative thinkers.