Charging for Elmo

Ohio librarians already in a funding freeze, are being dealt a sharp blow to their budgets. A five percent cut of state funds is expected to take effect this January—bringing the total to 9 1/2 percent since Jan 2000.

The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County has already voted to close its main branch on Sunday, says PLCHC director Kimber Fender. And the city may also reduce operating hours at 12 of its 41 branches to just three days a week.

To give libraries another funding source, Rep. Bill Seitz (R-Green Township) is proposing that libraries charge lending fees for video and DVD materials. Although libraries are mandated by the state to be free lending institutions, Seitz believes that the law does not have to apply to DVDs, videos or any digital medium that would not have been invented when the libraries were created.

"The libraries will have to decide if they're going to avail themselves of this or not," he says. "Obviously they would prefer their budgets not be cut. But if that's not in the cards, this is the next best solution."

Fender would like to gauge public opinion before the libraries start charging kids to rent their favorite episodes of Sesame Street on video. "I can't say it's my first choice," she says. "But if the legislature approves us to do it, they may expect us to do it in order to continue to get state funding."