House’s proposed budget would cut $5.2 million in local funding for libraries
Libraries and patrons across Ashtabula, Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull Counties are celebrating National Library Week this week.
But librarians across the state are worried after the Ohio House introduced its version of the state budget, which includes cuts to library funding.
The Ohio House of Representatives wrote House Bill 96, which includes eliminating the Public Library Fund. This fund distributes a portion of the state’s total tax revenue to programming at local libraries, like summer reading, digital and early childhood literacy.
The proposed bill reduces state funding for Ohio’s public libraries by over $100 million from 2026 to 2027, according to the Ohio Library Council.
How does eliminating PLF impact Mahoning Valley libraries?
Aimee Fifarek is the director and CEO of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County.
She said from 2026 and 2027, funding for the PLYMC network of libraries would be cut by $2.7 million.
Across Ashtabula, Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties, the bill would reduce funding for all libraries by $5.2 million from 2026-2027, according to Fifarek.
“Funding decisions in Columbus should not force local leaders across our region to make choices that could harm area families,” Fifarek said.
Jim Wilkins is the Warren Trumbull County Public Library’s executive director and fiscal officer.
“The $1.2 million that the Warren-Trumbull County Public Library would lose every two years is devastating,” Wilkins said. “What is more harmful to all of our area libraries is the House proposal to get rid of the Public Library Fund completely and make library funding subject to the whims of legislators in Columbus every two years.”
What would replace the Public Library Fund in Ohio?
The House’s version of the budget establishes a new method of funding public libraries in Ohio.
Distribution of funds would move from the Ohio Department of Taxation to the Ohio Office of Budget and Management, where a new funding formula would send the funding to counties “in proportion to each county’s population,” the budget draft states.
An analysis of the changes in the House proposal by the Ohio Library Council shows state funding would drop by more than $100 million.
Tamra Hess is the director of East Palestine Memorial Public Library.
Hess said libraries without local levies like East Palestine rely entirely on the Public Library Fund to cover the majority of the annual operating budget.
“Moving public library funding from the PLF to a per capita funding model puts all public library funding at risk and does not take into consideration the inter-dependency of Ohio’s public libraries,” Hess said.
“The lending and borrowing of materials is statewide and cannot be quantified ‘per capita,’” Hess said.
Supporters of the House Bill say that their proposal is an increase in library funding.
“By any measure, a $5.2 million cut in funding across the region over Fiscal years 2026 and 2027 is not an increase,” Fifarek said.
Mariana Branch is the director of Kingsville Public Library.
“Public libraries are excellent stewards of public funds and deliver a significant return on investment, generating $5 in economic value to Ohioans for every $1 spent,” Branch said. “Library funding has not kept pace with inflation, and Ohio’s public libraries are receiving the same level of funding today as they did 25 years ago.”
