Please help save libraries in Ohio!!!

10:38 am PST, Dec 4, Brian Spinden, Ohio

2:14 pm PDT, Jul 7, Nathan Novicki, Ohio
we need our LIBRAIES!!!!!

2:11 pm PDT, Jul 7, Rocco Carrino, Ohio
we need these libraries for school!! and learning! do u want us to be stupid?

11:19 am PDT, Jul 7, Ashley Ogle, Ohio

7:19 am PDT, Jul 5, Alex Paige Wade, Ohio
Please keep the libraries..WE NEED THEM!!! how are we supposed 2 get information if you take away our libraries?

7:45 am PDT, Jul 3, Margaret Wolford, Ohio
Please rethink your idea to cut funding to Ohio libraries. I belong to a book club a the Hebron library and all of the people who belong benefit from the books we read and the information we share. With the last cuts we lost the librarian who was assigned to be our leader. Please support our libraries.

9:52 am PDT, Jul 2, Mollie Genet, Ohio

9:05 pm PDT, Jun 29, Name not displayed, Ohio
Our family uses libraries for adult & kids reading, kids activities. We are talking about improving education at the national level and cutting down channels of education at state-level, this is ridiculous. When the economy is down, people are relying on public libraries for books, internet and other activities. Please DO NOT close down public libraries. Leaders of our country should try to improve on channels for better education and better citizens and not close the avenues.

3:46 pm PDT, Jun 28, Susan Landek, Ohio
Libraries have always played a vital service to their communities, especially during economic downturns. Internet access to the unemployed is an essential tool for finding jobs. Dvds, audio tapes, Cd's, newspapers, magazines, and books provide a source of entertainment and abstraction for many in these trying times. What happens when school starts up this fall? How will the teachers in this state be able to assign research projects with close libraries? Internet access plays a vital role in research. Ohio has a superb computer network system linking public libraries, all state colleges, and some private colleges. Without adequate funding what happens to this unprecedented access to information? Governor Strickland states that he is for education, even wants to schools to remain open all year, yet his actions indicates just the opposite. The closure of many of Ohio's libraries and the restricted hours of operation for others is not the actions of a governor that supports education. Ohio can and should be proud of its library system, for it's far more than one small library in one small town, it's the interconnection of the small community library, the larger urban library systems, and its college libraries. Do not close down this access to the people of Ohio.

10:37 am PDT, Jun 28, Holly Marie, Ohio
I take my children to the library, the three I have range in age from 5 months to 6 years, and they love to go in there and borrow movies, music, and books. I used to always do my research in the libraries for my papers through school as well as looking for reading material while I was out during the summer. It was one way for me to stay out of trouble and off the streets. I enjoyed being able to check out movies since I didn't have a job and didn't have the money to rent movies. I don't have the internet, so I use the internet at the library as well. With three children and paying for a house my fiance and I can not afford to have the internet currently. It is very useful to my family and I, not to mention my future mother-in-law works in a library! She will lose her job, and will have to collect unemployment. I will not be able to have access to the internet, books for my children to look at, movies to watch and music to listen to. It's nice to preview movies and music and books that way before I buy them. I hope you realize that the money to fund these libraries will end up paying the people who worked there their unemployment, as well as any medical care, and food stamps. You will not be saving much, if anything. I do not approve of this. This is one idea that may not get Strickland re-elected.

10:42 am PDT, Jun 27, Kelly Schucker, New York

9:03 am PDT, Jun 27, Cheryl Wells, Ohio
I, as a teacher, find it is very essential for our children to have access to a public library for expanding their knowledge outside of the classroom. Without the excess use of a local a library, our children would be lost when trying to achieve their goal in life in a career. As far as closing some of them, the students would not have means to travel the distance in another town. Therefore gas would be needed to transport them instead of biking it. Where is the economy thought, for not using gas to cut back. :The Green thought" Thank you for reading this concern. Cheryl Wells

8:15 am PDT, Jun 27, Gregory Gleason, Ohio
Please do not let these important resources close!

6:33 am PDT, Jun 27, Chelsea Braden, Ohio

6:01 pm PDT, Jun 26, Virginia Rubright, Ohio
I don't normally write letter like this, but this time it is important enough to do so. I'm a senior citizen and the library is a place of comfort and learning to many people of all ages. I pay taxes to help support the libraries and I feel that any more cut to them would be tragic. Please vote against cutting any deeper, we need our libraries. Virginia Rubright

3:22 pm PDT, Jun 26, Carri Catapano, Ohio

1:19 pm PDT, Jun 26, Kim Morgan, Ohio
One of the big reasons I voted for Gov. Strickland was for an improvement in education, especially in the areas of funding, and I am very disappointed in the course he has taken. Here is another area that affects the overall education of not only young people, but also adults who need the library services and facilities.

1:02 pm PDT, Jun 26, Erica Wetherell, Ohio

11:54 am PDT, Jun 26, John Sutton, Ohio
local libraries in the urban community as well as bookmobiles offer another needed outlet for the children. If anything, bigger daycare facilities with programs for educating young parents and teenagers should be developed.

11:31 am PDT, Jun 26, Robert Steele, Ohio

10:07 am PDT, Jun 26, Kathy Miser, Ohio
I teach 1st grade in a very poor rural area in SE Ohio and I encourage all of my students to utilize our public library. Their parents don't have the money to buy them books, but they can borrow books and get a chance to read other books by authors that we introduce them to at school. Please, please, reconsider cutting funds in this area. There has to be other areas that could be cut first. Thank you. Kathy Miser

10:03 am PDT, Jun 26, Sharon Marconi, Ohio
A loss of funding will likely most impact those smaller branch libraries. It is not always possible for those who utilize these libraries to have the resources and tansportation to travel to the lager, main libraries, which will also be impacted in their own way. Libraries offer an avenue of education and growth not found elsewhere. Please reconsider what a loss these cuts would produce.

9:35 am PDT, Jun 26, Name not displayed, Ohio
Libraries are fundamental resource for a community. Especially in times of economic hardship, libraries provide source of information entertainment and community. This is especially true for our seniors who have contibuted so much, not involved in predatory lending and now would be so badly hurt by lack of access to library facilities. Please do not hurt those who have not contributed to the current economic crisis. Hold those who have been responsible accountable!

8:38 am PDT, Jun 26, Linda Wessel, Ohio
Please do not decrease funding for Ohio's libraries. As an educator, I use the library frequently, and several of my students use it also. For some, it is the safest, best place to go after school and during the summers. Many of them even check out books to read!

8:18 am PDT, Jun 26, Amanda Rosen, Kentucky
I'm from northern Kentucky, but I can't stand the thought of any library having to close from lack of funding. Please Gov. Strickland - consider the next generation of citizens and that they need a safe, educational place to gather and learn.

7:47 am PDT, Jun 26, Alisha Steele, Ohio
No good can come from cutting funding to the libraries. We will be impacted by loss of jobs, loss of resources, loss of family/childrens' programs, and loss of community. Please reconsider.

8:59 pm PDT, Jun 25, Ruth Cairo, Ohio
I don't know what you are thinking when you want to decrease the library budget by 50%. Do you realize that people don't have the money to go out an purchase books. DVD or audio books and depend on the library for their entainment. My nephew is blind and depends on audio cassettes or CDs for his reading pleasure. Please don't shut down our libraries.

5:59 am PDT, Jun 25, Gale Weaner, Texas

9:17 pm PDT, Jun 24, Marion Botello, Ohio
Please I beg of you to find other ways to make budget cuts. without our libraries we will futher drain our youths potential. I grew up poor and books were a window into the world I would be joining upon growing up. I was basically socialized by what I read in books and not by the insanity of my childhood. If not for my escape into books I might be a criminal now instead of who I am "A Great Book Lover"

8:10 pm PDT, Jun 24, Jessica Higginbotham, Ohio
Ohio public libraries have a huge impact on all Ohioans. I work as a student assistant at the Norton Branch Library, which is part of the Akron-Summit County Public Library System. As an employee and recent high school graduate, I am currently saving up basically all of my money to pay for my first year of college. With the budget cut, my fellow student assistant co-workers and myself would be the first ones to lose our jobs. If I lose my job there is no possible way I can go to college. My father is going to lose his job this year, and my mother works at Kenmore High School. She doesn't get paid during the summer, like my father and myself currently do. I'm eighteen years old, graduated from Norton High School on June 2, 2009. My father, mother, little sister, myself, and our dog and two cats won't be able to live on just my mom's paychecks (that she won't get until September). My mom would also have to pay all the bills my dad currently pays, including mortgage. Whenever a project would be assigned during the school year, students and parents would go to public libraries to get the information that they needed to complete their projects. With the 30% budget cut there would be fewer books, DVDs, CDs, and magazines. There would also be cuts to library programming, including preschool story times, Summer Reading Program, and computer training programs. There will also be shortened hours and possible closings. The Ohio public libraries also act as a safe place that teenagers and children can go to. With the budget cuts there will definitely be a lot of Ohio public libraries that will have to close. And with these closings, you have to ask yourself what will happen to these teenagers and children. Well what might happen is that this group of adolescents might end up in a bad crowd. I believe that this will lead to more teenage illegal drug and alcohol use, and of course more crime. So I ask you, Please Help SAVE Ohio Public Libraries.

1:56 pm PDT, Jun 24, Angela Powell, Ohio
My 2 year old son loves storytime at the library. Please don't take that away.

1:52 pm PDT, Jun 24, Leslie Barrett, Ohio
Taking budget money from the libraries will affect the education of our future, the children of our communities!!! They already struggle in the world today, why would be take away a place of refuge for them?? Please Help save Ohio Libraries!!

12:29 pm PDT, Jun 24, Nancy Fortune, Ohio
Closing libraries only promotes illiteracy

10:54 am PDT, Jun 24, Jb Simpson, New Hampshire

9:21 am PDT, Jun 24, Name not displayed, Ohio

7:28 am PDT, Jun 24, Inga Rusthoi, South Africa

6:19 am PDT, Jun 24, Emily Crabtree, Ohio

3:40 am PDT, Jun 24, Garland Roberts, West Virginia

3:40 am PDT, Jun 24, Garland Roberts, West Virginia

5:36 pm PDT, Jun 23, Rodney Engle, Ohio
Our Lorain library performs a valuable and irreplaceable community service--besides the obvious place for book and movie lending, it is also a haven for the indigent and out of work--people who need to use the facilities and expertise of the library staff to get them through their daily lives, and to help them on a new career path. It always seems library funding is the first to be cut--I do not think that the officials on the governors' staff realize what a valuable service the library provides the communities of Ohio. To cut funding so drastically would be a disservice to the citizens and voters of Ohio.

4:48 pm PDT, Jun 23, Michele Porter, Ohio
As a teacher and a life long learner, I know that the closing or minimizing of our public library services is not what we need, want, or could tolerate. The library is a fun day out for toddlers just realizing the world around them, a mental sanctuary for elementary students after school to meet and study, a vital source for the struggling college student and lastly a treasure for those who may not have the money to enjoy our most prized possession, knowledge. I have used our libraries for my own studies and for my job as a teacher to help build the educational foundation of tomorrow's adults. I understand that many of us have to budget and let some luxuries go, we as educated people know that the library is not a luxury, but a cornerstone of our community. I propose we cut our money from something that is less significant to our children. Michele Porter

2:07 pm PDT, Jun 23, Martha Vineyard, Ohio

2:05 pm PDT, Jun 23, Katherine Taylor-Strickling, Ohio
My mother reads 80-100 books a month. This has seen her through the death of my brother and father and the long nights alone. Please reconsider the funding for the libraries. I am sure there are many men, women and children in Ohio that are comforted by the many books and the wonderful service and friends at the library.

8:46 am PDT, Jun 23, Colleen Schultz, Ohio
Community members depend on the library for services such as computer use and internet, research and school library visits. Our small library has seen increases in both new patrons and circulation. New people constantly come in to use the internet to apply for jobs. These cuts will devastate libraries in the very communities that need them the most.

8:02 am PDT, Jun 23, Ralph Xx, Germany

7:40 am PDT, Jun 23, David N Moore, Connecticut

1:55 am PDT, Jun 23, Bill C, Germany

11:45 pm PDT, Jun 22, Pam Boland, Georgia