Urgent - Act Now to Save our Libraries

Governor Strickland proposes to fill Ohio's $3.2 billion shortfall in the 
state budget by eliminating $200+ million from the Public Library Fund over  
the next two years.  His proposal will have a drastic impact on all 251 public
libraries in Ohio and on Columbus Metropolitan Library in particular.        
                                                                            
 This proposal by the Governor cuts library funding by 50% beginning July 1,
2009.                                                                        
                                                                            
 We only have days to have an impact.                                       
                                                                            
1. Today, contact your legislators.  We've made it easy to do.  Go to:       
http://columbuslibrary.org.                                                  
                                                                            
2. Call Governor Strickland's office at 614-466-3555.                        
                                                                            
  The Governor's proposed funding cuts come at a time when Ohio's public    
libraries are experiencing unprecedented increases in demands for services. In
every community throughout the state, Ohioans are turning to their public    
library for free job help, children and teens are beginning summer reading   
programs and people of all ages are turning to the library for information and
assistance during this economic downturn. That is no truer than here at CML. 
We cannot allow these cuts to succeed, cuts which will drastically reduce    
services and access. Act now.