Several libraries in Northeast Ohio will be asking voters to renew or pass new levies in the May 6, 2025, primary election.
The election comes as funding is up in the air for public libraries in the state. The two year budget passed by the Ohio House in April eliminates the Public Library Fund, which takes a percentage of the state's General Revenue Fund and puts it toward public libraries. Instead, House Republicans changed library funding to a line item amount each year, which will not guarantee consistent funding. About 50 libraries in Ohio rely solely on the Public Library Fund for the vast majority of their budgets, according to library officials.
Six libraries in Northeast Ohio will be asking voters to renew local levies in May, including Barberton Public Library, which is asking for a five year 1.9 mill operating levy renewal, Director Ann Hutchison said.
"In 2024, the property tax levy brought in about just over 30% of our revenue," she said. "In 2024, the Public Library Fund brought in close to 60%."
With state funding in flux, Hutchison is worried about the possibility of losing either local or state funding, she said.
"While it may not affect us on day one or Jan. 1, 2026, eventually it's going to hit," she said, "and it's probably going to hit us hard."
Gnadenhutten Public Library in Tuscarawas County also has a five year 1 mill renewal operating levy on the ballot, Director April King said.
"About 60% of our funding comes from the Public Library Fund and perhaps about 38% is our levy," she said. "And then the other maybe 2% is from donations."
The library runs on a budget of a little more than a quarter of a million dollars a year, King said, which allows them to offer programming for all ages and access to library materials from around the state.
"Without one or the other, we won't be the library that we are able to be now," she said. "We would be talking about bare bones materials and bare bones services."
Marvin Memorial Library in Richland County has a five year 1.75 mill renewal levy on the ballot, which covers about 50% of the library's expenses, Board of Trustee President Aileen Stewart said.
"We're relatively sure that people are supporting it," she said, "and last time it was also a renewal and it passed by I'm thinking it was like 64%."
Louisville Public Library in Stark County is asking for a five year 1 mill levy renewal, which accounts for about one third of the budget, Director Brock Hutchison said.
"We actually just built a new library, and this levy is simply for operating," he said. "It has nothing to do with the building of the new building."
The library built the new building without asking for any new taxes, he said.
Perry Public Library in Lake County is asking for a five year 0.75 mill levy renewal, and voters in Columbia Township in Lorain County will be voting on a five year 1.74 mill levy renewal for the Columbia branch of the Lorain Public Library System.
Akron-Summit County Public Library is the only library in Northeast Ohio asking for more money on the May ballot. Voters will be weighing in on a 1 mill capital levy that will be used to make repairs and improvements to the buildings, according to the library. On average, the library's buildings are 24 years old, and the library has invested $6.13 million in maintaining and repairing the buildings from 2022 to 2024, according to the library. The library hasn't asked voters for capital funding since 1997, according to the library.
