FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Akron, Ohio — In late June, Ohio’s General Assembly approved, and Governor DeWine signed into law the 2026-2027 Budget that includes a reduction in state funding for public libraries in Ohio. The
Public Library Fund (PLF), which provides approximately 50% of the Akron-Summit County Public Library’s (ASCPL) revenue, no longer receives a defined 1.7% of Ohio's General Revenue Fund. Instead, funding for public libraries is now a fiscal year line-item appropriation in the state budget.
In Fiscal Year 2025, public libraries in Ohio received $504.5 million. Under the new twoyear budget, Ohio public libraries will receive $479.9 million in Fiscal Year 2026 and $489.9 million in Fiscal Year 2027. This means funding for Ohio’s public library budgets was cut by almost $25 million for the biennium.
The impact on ASCPL is a decrease in the projected revenue in the last 6 months of 2025 of more than $377,000 and more than $603,000 less in 2026. Consequently, ASCPL is facingdecreased revenue of nearly $1 million by the end of next year. Because of the funding cuts, the Library has made some difficult decisions.
- Our quarterly newsletter, Insight, will no longer be mailed to customers. The free print publication will still be available at all locations, as well as digitally.
- Subscriptions of physical magazines have been significantly reduced. Many of these titles will still be accessible digitally, free with your ASCPL library card.
- Programming budgets and staff training and travel budgets have been reduced. Unlike fixed operational costs, these budgets are more flexible and allow us to navigate financial constraints while continuing to maintain vital services and operations.
- Planned technology software and equipment upgrades have been scaled down.
An important decision that was not difficult and saves money was a change to a different integrated library system (ILS) and Discovery Layer. The ILS is the staff-side software that manages the Library’s core collection activities. Examples include cataloging items, tracking circulation (loans and returns), retrieving customer information, and acquisition of new materials. The Discovery Layer is the online public access catalog for users to search the Library's collection.
The new ILS and Discovery Layer will cost approximately 80% less annually than our current software. Additionally, it will offer enhanced features and an improved user experience. More details will be shared as the project progresses.
