Ohio: Reduction in Funding Forcing Akron-Summit County Library to Cut Hours Beginning Monday

From The Suburbanite:

“The key is that we are working in our sixth year of a challenging budget,” Library Director David Jennings said. “We’ve been reducing staff for six years and have lost nearly $15 million in revenue over the past five years.”
In 2014, the library expects to receive approximately $450,000 less in state funding than in 2013. Due to continued reductions in state funding since 2009, along with real estate property devaluation, the library’s overall annual revenue is now $4.4 million – 16 percent less – than in 2008.
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The library’s operating budget in 2013 was $25.1 million and its temporary 2014 budget is $24.3 million, a reduction of more than 3 percent. Jennings pointed out that the changes in state funding have not been specifically aimed at public libraries.

Read the Complete Article
See Also: Full Text of Library’s Formal Announcement
Details about new hours at main and branch libraries.
See Also: Akron-Summit County Library Fact Sheet 2013 (PDF)

Filed under: Funding, Libraries, News, Public Libraries