As published in the October 1, 2012 Toledo Business Journal
Clyde Scoles
Toledo-Lucas County Public Library
Library important to business community
Toledo Business Journal recently interviewed Toledo-Lucas County Public Library director Clyde Scoles. He shared the following thoughts.
Toledo Business Journal: The Toledo-Lucas County Library is an important resource for the business community. Can you share a few of the Library’s resources to which business professionals can obtain access?
Clyde Scoles: We have a number of information systems here. In terms of small business, information is the key to success. I can remember the day when I was with another library system in Ohio when the Small Business Administration (SBA) indicated that of all the reasons that a small business fails, the biggest is a lack of information and understanding. That is what our library is about.
We want to be able to provide crystal clear information to the business community, whether it is in marketing plans, studies, or an analysis. We can provide all kinds of tools for small businesses. SBA has done a number of seminars at the library.
The library can find that needle in a haystack with its multitude of resources, whether it be the information and technology center or a librarian aimed to help find the answer to a question. Even online, with a few keystrokes we’re able to identify the answer right away.
The library has been recognized as a key resource to the business community.
In one case, I had a business call me and say, “I had no idea you carried this publication. I have been purchasing it for about $3,500 each year. Why don’t I know about this?” It might be worth someone’s while to come in and see what we have available to them.
Our main challenge is making our public more keenly aware of what we have to offer. Some resources include Reference USA, Regional Business News database, serial publications, articles, and training, among others.
TBJ: A levy issue is on the ballot in November for the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library. What amount of your budget comes from the levy funding? Please explain the need for the money from the upcoming ballot issue.
CS: Ohio has been very fortunate over the years, dating back to 1930. It began as an Intangible Tax, a tax on stocks and bonds, to the early 1980s. There was a major retrenchment in the 1970s where libraries closed and staff was laid off. That was during the old Intangible Tax. It was a problem for all libraries, including this one. In 1983-84 Ohio Governor Celeste, who was a former library employee, felt that libraries should be able to rely on stable funding.
He introduced the “earmarking” of the State income tax at 6.3%, which began a statewide support for libraries. It was one of two local government funds for libraries in Ohio. Libraries have relied heavily on the Public Library Fund, created by Governor Strickland around the turn of the century.
The Toledo Library began supplemental support back in the early 1970s. Other libraries around the State had similar supplemental support. Ours averaged around 25-35% because, for the most part, we collected our funds from the State. Beginning in the mid-90s, things started to change. Around the turn of the century, the library funds began to freeze. The libraries had to rely more and more on supplemental support. Beginning in 2008, we had to retrench, and we did because it was a tremendous reduction in library funds.
It was first a reduction of 30%, which began an outcry from the entire state. The Save our Library campaign started in Youngstown, Cincinnati, and Dayton and spread across Ohio. There was a tremendous amount of emails, telephone calls, and media coverage. It was so intense it shut down the email communications of the State House.
What happened was a step back. The reduction moved back to around 11%. At the same time that reduction came about, across Ohio, there was a reduction in property tax values. This influenced our library levy at the time, which reduced us around 17-18%, which meant we lost around $7 million. Hours had to suffer. Sunday hours had to be cut in many locations. Some staff members had to go. Books and materials were reduced. There was a tremendous amount of turning off the lights.
With that levy, which was overwhelmingly passed in 2007 for $2 million over five years, we felt we could sustain everything in terms of hours and staff. When 2008 came, that changed. We’re now faced with a whole different reality in terms of a new levy, because the current levy is now up for renewal.
With all the entrenchments, the board decided if we want to increase hours and increase services closer to where the library used to be, we were going to have to ask for some type of increase. It averaged out to $0.9 million, or eight cents a day. That’s what we’re hoping the public will be supportive of, in terms of allowing our library to continue the success story it has had.
Across the state, many libraries have gone to some public funding. Back five years ago, maybe 35% of public libraries in Ohio had supplemental levies. That has increased to almost 65%. In every election since 2009, many libraries have had to renew their levies. They have had almost a 90% success rate. No entity of government has had that kind of a high success rate in terms of a renewal or passage of a levy. From urban areas to small towns, we’ve seen great public support for our libraries.
Libraries are a safe haven. They are a school outside of a school. They are free and open to all. This is true throughout the nation as well. Lots of library construction is going on throughout the country. There is a new $230 million library being constructed in San Diego.
Our levy expires December 31, 2012 and it represents about 50% of our income. Who would have that thought back in 1978, when it represented about 20% and the State funding was 80%? Our funding in 1996 almost matches our current State funding. That gives you some indication of the decline we’ve had in funds in the past several years.
We know we have a lot of levies on the ballot, but we feel there is a message we need to get to the public and we have a story to tell.
TBJ: With tight budgets during the past several years, the library has been forced to operate with restricted hours and services. What impact will the levy issue have on hours of operation, staff personnel support, equipment and book purchases, facility and capital spending, and other services?
CS: In this nation, we have a digital divide. We know the library is an equalizer, providing access to information and technology. There will be a restoration of technology, which has slid a little with the hours, and is not as prevalent as before. We would be able to restore hours and services. We will be able to increase our part-time staff. You can have all of the wonderful buildings, but unless you have the staff, you won’t be as successful. Having staff to assist and help is the most important factor in a library system.
Beginning in 2009, we saw a reduction in our library services. In 2010, we had an average of 3.7-3.8 million people coming into our library system that entire year. Because of the closures and the reduction of services, that was reduced almost a million. In 2011, we saw about 2.7 million people. Our E-Branch is not quite the same as visiting the public library.
Many of our branches are closed on Saturdays and Sundays, we hope to reopen many of those branches. At the very least, restore some Sunday hours and restore our Saturdays. The weekends are family days.
We have had infrastructure issues we haven’t been able to deal with, such as roofs and parking lots, because of the funding. We need to maintain a lot of our buildings, which is another piece of the levy.
TBJ: Can you provide an update of the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library’s operations in terms of number of branches, number of employees, annual payroll, annual operating budget, and capital expenditure level for the past 10 years?
CS: We have approximately 371 staff members, 21 outlets, two bookmobiles, one of which is a cybermobile. It travels to locations such as senior centers and has been a tremendous boon to our outreach program. The funding has gone way down over the past 10 years, but we have been able to maintain a certain level of service to the very best of our ability. Who would have thought you would drive by a library on a Wednesday and Thursday night and see a closed sign over the door? Who would have thought that on a Saturday when you want to take your children to a story hour, you get there and they’re closed? Those are areas we want to make an improvement on. Not every library is closed on Saturdays, but some branches are, and we’d like to change that.
Wednesday and Thursday nights we did have a lot of people come, but not as much as on Monday and Tuesday nights. We have tracked everything. In terms of the use of the library, we track that use so we can track the schedules and when we need more staff and less staff. We also know we make mistakes because people change their habits. It’s not perfect, and we hear that and have taken it into account, especially going forward.
TBJ: Can you discuss several of the major projects during the past few years that have required capital funds?
CS: Since 2009, many of our projects were put on hold. We did a project with federal stimulus funds, which allowed us to improve, remodel, and upgrade the Kent Branch Library. It also allowed us to purchase the cybermobile to travel to areas that do not necessarily have access, such as senior centers. People think if they don’t have access then they don’t matter. They do matter.
These funds allowed us to reach out into the community in a different way. It’s a learning experience for them. At the same time, it creates jobs. We assist with resume writing, job searching, and teach patrons how to submit applications online. It’s a whole new service we’ve gotten ourselves into for all the right reasons.
We probably have more partnerships, collaborations, and connectivity than any college, university, business, or organization in this community. Not just here, but with all 18 branches and the cybermobile. It’s a good testimonial for the library. I believe the last count I had was approximately 4,000.
I know I said we lost about a million people in our doors, but I also don’t know of any other entity that can claim 2.7 million people into their doors each year. We encourage our community to use the library. In terms of membership, 70% of Lucas County has a library card. It’s a huge connectivity.
As far as capital has gone, we restored and renewed the library main doors. They are old, art-deco doors. We have done a lot of self-checkout machines, which has relieved our staff to do other work. Birmingham Branch Library got a new carpet in 2011. We did the Holland roof when it began to leak.
TBJ: Can you discuss the figures and trends concerning the usage of the library facilities by area residents?
CS: Circulation is one of the key measurements to library usage, as well as the usage of computers and E-Branch. Along with that, we also track the use of the outreach services in the community and all the programs. We’ve had a reduction in programs, but we still track who comes. Sometimes we have to limit the amount of people we can have in a room. If you’ve ever been to a story hour at Sanger Branch Library, it’s standing room only.
We hope with the passage of the levy, we can make some positive changes in the library hours and usage.
TBJ: Has there been a study that has reviewed and rated public libraries around the country in the past several years? How does the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library compare?
CS: We did a study last year with the University of Toledo Urban Affairs Center to independently come in to take a look at what the taxpayer gets in return. They looked at everything. For every tax dollar that is currently extended, there is a return of approximately $2.86. We felt that was very good for what the library offers its community.
We know that when we had to reduce funds, it impacted everyone. The amount of people waiting, the shelf space, and so on. Though with all of the entrenchments we have gone through, we are still ranked high. I believe that is also due to the staff.
The physically impaired can now make it into all of our libraries. It has opened a whole new list of clientele that had difficulty in using the public library in the past. Overall, the ranking is good, though not as good as it had been before the funding dropped. Hopefully we will see a surge in the next few years.
TBJ: Are there any other issues that you would like to address?
CS: We’re working with the publishing houses with e-books to let them know we’re not trying to take anything away from them in terms of when an e-book goes out on a mobile device. We’re working out a business model that will satisfy a publisher and a library to make sure there is remuneration back to the publisher and they are getting a fair amount.
We’ve had great conversations so far, but we still need a fair business model drawn up. We want everyone to go home happy.
In terms of our levy campaign, we have over 2,000 members of the Friends of the Library, a very loyal membership. All of our branches have their own chapter. Some people are now joining Friends for the Levy campaign. Read for Literacy has close to 1,400 members. It takes time, because our employees cannot work on the campaign during library hours.
Toledo is a city of neighborhoods. Everyone is very passionate about his or her own library. We are a system that has to work together and we have a great spirit of cooperation.
We want to get the message out. In terms of the media, this is our first levy that has fallen on a Presidential election year. It’s not that we’re going to ballot early, we have to go now. This is a do or die for us.