UPDATE:  Governor DeWine signs new budget bill into law

Ohioans love their libraries. With more than 8.4 million registered borrowers, Ohio’s public libraries are a resource that Ohioans increasingly turn to for a wide variety of services, especially now. Throughout the pandemic, libraries have had to find new ways to continue doing what they do best, and that is serving their communities. Whether it is providing specialized technology assistance, aiding job seekers and small businesses, or adapting educational services to assist students and parents who are new to remote learning, libraries continue to innovate.

We are proud that Ohio has the highest library use per capita in the United States. Our success is dependent on the strong partnership between the state and the local library systems. In Ohio, public libraries are funded through the Public Library Fund (PLF). Thank you to everyone who contacted legislators and worked tirelessly to keep the PLF at 1.7% of the General Revenue Fund (GRF). We are extremely appreciative of the Senate for making public libraries a priority and including our PLF amendment in their version of the budget. The PLF is set at 1.7% of the General Revenue Fund (GRF) for Fiscal Year 2022 and 2023. Based on estimates by the Legislative Service Commission, the PLF is expected to produce $439 million in FY22 and $454 million in FY23.