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Your Voice Made a Difference!
We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has taken the time to share their personal stories and speak up for Ohio’s public libraries. Your messages have made an impact—our state legislators heard you loud and clear.
Thanks to your advocacy, the House Finance Committee amended the budget to allocate $490 million in library funds for fiscal year 2026 and $500 million for fiscal year 2027. While we appreciate the House's efforts to adjust the funding proposal, it’s important to note that the current version of the bill still falls $90.8 million short of the Governor’s recommended funding for public libraries over the biennium.
The state budget now heads to the Ohio Senate, where there’s still an opportunity to push for stronger support of Ohio’s libraries.
Here's What You Should Know:
Instead of funding public libraries as a percentage of the state’s general revenue fund (as has traditionally been done), the House proposal includes a fixed dollar amount through a line-item in the budget. This could make funding for libraries less stable in the future.
The amount currently allocated is $10 million more than the House’s original proposal, but it still falls short of maintaining current funding levels.
The current House plan is also $90.8 million less than what was proposed in Governor DeWine’s budget.
How You Can Help:
The Brumback Library will continue to monitor the budget process and keep our community informed. There may be more opportunities in the coming weeks for you to advocate on behalf of Ohio’s libraries as the process continues into June.
Thank you for standing with us—and with libraries across the state. Your support matters, and we’re so grateful to serve a community that values access, education, and lifelong learning.