Ohio Library protest

The Cincinnati Post Reports on a rally held Wednesday at Fountain Square to support the public library, in an attempt to convince state senators to halt library funding cuts.

Republican Gov. Bob Taft’s proposed 2005-2006 budget would cut funding for libraries five percent in 2006, resulting in a $2.5 million reduction for the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, said Kim Fender, executive director of the library.“It’s hard to believe that in the information age financial support for libraries would even be an issue,” said Carla Makela, of Walnut Hills, a literary specialist with Cincinnati Public Schools who said she regularly relies on library resources. “At a time when we have CVS, Krogers, ATM and restaurants available to us almost 24-7, it’s almost uncivilized to be proposing less access to libraries.”