We’ve nearly completed a huge change to our adult fiction shelves. We shelved all of the genres together—mysteries, westerns, science fiction—that had previously been shelved separately. Why did we do this? And why did we do it when we knew it might upset some of you? Hang in there and read why.
Continue reading “Where are my mysteries (and sci-fi and westerns)?”Ohio public libraries are facing a significant reduction in state funding for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 due to changes in the state budget bill (HB 96), signed into law by Governor DeWine in July 2025. Ohio’s fiscal year runs July to June—we are now operating in fiscal year 2026 and experiencing the loss of funds.
In this budget, the funding mechanism for the Public Library Fund (PLF) was changed from a guaranteed 1.7% of the state’s General Revenue Fund (GRF) to a fixed line-item appropriation. This change makes library funding vulnerable to budget cuts, eliminating the previous, stable, percentage-based system.
Ohio reduced the amount available for public libraries in fiscal year 2026 by more than $25 million. The new appropriation includes an annual transfer of over $10 million to support other library-related state entities like the State Library of Ohio and the Ohio Public Library Information Network, who previously received their own line-item appropriations. These transfers are made before funds are distributed to local public libraries, further reducing the net amount available to local systems like ours. Locally, Portage County library funds decreased by nearly $600 thousand and Reed Memorial Library has lost $200 thousand in the current fiscal year.
With these funding changes, state legislators have effectively shifted more financial responsibility to local communities and voters. In communities that value their library, you would suppose the funding changes would result in more effective local support. But proposed changes to local levy rules are expected to have a significant negative impact on public libraries, too.
A bill currently in the Ohio House (HB 137, as of November 2025) would allow county or local taxing authorities to reject a library’s request to place an operating levy on the ballot. Previously, libraries had more autonomy in this process. This change means local elected officials could prevent voters from deciding on library funding issues, regardless of community support. Reed Memorial Library relies on a five-year renewable operating levy that accounts for another 43% of its annual budget.
As if denying levies isn’t enough, Ohio House Bills 309 and 335 (HB309/HB335) would grant full authority to the County Budget Commission to suspend, reduce, and question the need for all property tax revenue. This revenue includes inside millage, outside voted levies, emergency levies, bond levies, etc. In short, although local voters may vote and approve a levy, the state would give local commissions the power to reject that vote and decide that they won’t collect levy funds. Ohio is a local-control state, but the changes being proposed disenfranchise and undermine the rights of local voters in their own community. Furthermore, neither the County, nor any local taxing authority funds public libraries. Voters fund public libraries.
Most Ohio public libraries have only two major sources of revenue – state funding and local property tax levies. Changes to this funding structure will have a significant impact on the services that we provide. Libraries across the state are being forced to adjust their budgets and make difficult funding decisions.
Reed Memorial receives 49% of our annual operating budget from the state. We have responded to the state cuts by renegotiating contracted and subscription services and leaving vacant positions unfilled for now. Additional cuts may be needed in the future as we strive to maintain our current level of programming and library services. Further declines in funding could jeopardize vital services that our community relies on, although, we are doing everything in our power to make sure that does not happen.
Our Library is committed to the residents of the City of Ravenna, Ravenna Township, and the greater Portage County area. We will continue finding ways to cut costs where we can, planning for further changes and an uncertain future. We will also keep you updated on the progress of state and local funding changes and initiatives directly affecting libraries.
If you want to show your support for Ohio’s public libraries, please reach out to your local state representatives and let them know what your library means to you and the community. You can also support us by joining and/or contributing to the Reed Memorial Foundation and the Friends of Reed Memorial Library.
Halloween is over and the gloves are off—the holidays are coming! Get your candy-decorating skills sharpened because it’s time for our annual #GingerbreadMadness contest. Bragging rights and prizes will be awarded for the most creative gingerbread in four categories.
Continue reading “Move over, pumpkin spice – it’s time for ginger”
I’ve read about half of John Green’s fictional books and enjoyed each one. But each time I tried to read The Anthropocene Revealed, I returned it, unread, even though I knew I really wanted to read it. When Hiram College announced it as the title for their community read this fall, I finally applied some self-discipline and made myself begin reading. Now, I’m about halfway through and enjoying every minute.
Continue reading “Actually, I like Group Reading”
Want an easy tool to find your next great read? One that lets you make lists and recommends books based on what you already like? Goodreads and StoryGraph do that, you say? How about a tool that will do all that and tell you with one click if you can borrow a book from the library? Only Novelist does that – and you can use it free!
Continue reading “The best book-finding tool you’ve never heard of”
Does your family have an Uncle Buck? He’s that adventurous, standout relative from way, way back that everyone tells stories about at family reunions. But how would you discover his story beyond the family tales? Reed Memorial Library has free access to a host of genealogy and history research tools. More important, if Uncle Buck lived in our area, we have a local history collection that you can search. Where do you find it? Keep reading for details.
Continue reading “Searching for Uncle Buck”
Things are moving and shaking at the library. This week, it’s mostly adult-level fiction books. Yesterday, staff finished moving the new fiction books to the second floor, reuniting them with their older siblings. Finally, the fiction family is together! Very soon, the non-fiction family will be in one home, too. We’re not really moving materials around to reunite book families; we have a plan. Want to hear know what’s happening?
Continue reading “Movin’ on Up: A book family reunion”
A few months ago, we reminded you that with SearchOhio, you have free access to over 16 million books, audiobooks, movies, and music from public libraries across the state. If you’re using SearchOhio or its academic counterpart, OhioLINK, there’s good news and bad news.
Continue reading “Borrowing millions more items: interrupted”
We installed a new book on the Story Trail today: Nest, by Jorey Hurley, a story about the first year of a bird’s life. The weather is warming, so take those kiddos outside to the park and read the story while they expend energy walking the trail. Not sure what the Story Trail is? Keep reading for details and a spring book list for kids.
Continue reading “Walking and reading: perfect for spring”
Where do you go when you have a question and can’t find the answer yourself? Just ask the Google, you say? Then what do you do when Google spits out multiple answers, some that may contradict each other? And how do you know if that answer is even correct?
Do you ask an AI chatbot? We’ve heard the stories about AI’s unbelieveably unreliable answers. You could call a friend, ask around, but did you know that you can also just ask your question at the library?
You’ve been asking and library staff have been answering your questions for as long as public libraries have been around. What kind of questions? Every kind.
Continue reading “Asked and Answered – Correctly!”
Sincerely, Cornelius 