Sunday, October 13, 2002
State library officials are seeking exception if the concealed-carry weapons bill is passed.
By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
Mahoning Valley library officials are offering area voters the chance to question incumbent public officials and candidates on a variety of issues at two public forums at area libraries.
The forums will be at 7 p.m. Monday at Poland Library, 311 S. Main St., and at 7 p.m. Oct. 21 at East Palestine Memorial Public Library, 309 N. Market St.
Library directors have invited incumbents and candidates for state, county and local office.
Patrick Finan, director of the McKinley Memorial Library in Niles, said about 35 people attended a joint forum conducted Oct. 7 at Warren-Trumbull County Public Library in Warren. Five legislators with constituents in Trumbull and Ashtabula counties attended. He said the legislators agreed the state budget woes affect libraries and the problems must be solved.
Goals
Janet S. Loew, communications and public relations director of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County said the goal of the public forums is to promote voter awareness, because libraries have traditionally not only been sources of information, but forums for the exchange of ideas.
Loew said Ohio library officials are encouraging county libraries to sponsor legislative forums to give voters the opportunity to question incumbents and candidates, and to highlight current issues relevant to library employees and patrons.
Lisa Rohrbaugh, director of the East Palestine Memorial Public Library, said Ohio library officials are concerned about state funding cuts that have forced some large metropolitan libraries to cut staff and close branches.
She said there are no operating levies in effect for Columbiana County libraries, so 95 percent of the operating income comes from the state.
She said state funding cuts not only affect staffing, but libraries' ability to upgrade computer systems, purchase new materials or offer new services. New technology is wonderful, but expensive, she noted.
Matters of concern
A pending legislation that could impact library operations is House Bill 482, Rohrbaugh said. The bill would prevent government agencies and political subdivisions from providing services and materials that can be provided by the private sector, she said.
Rohrbaugh said libraries must be exempt from this legislation because a strict interpretation would effect most of the services libraries provide. She said, for example, libraries could not provide video or audio recordings on cassette or disc or even possibly books or periodicals because such services would be competing with video, music or bookstores and newsstands in the private sector.
Rohrbaugh said those who attend the Columbiana County meeting may address public officials on any subject. One issue of particular concern to Rohrbaugh is House Bill 274 that would permit citizens to carry concealed weapons.
She said state library officials want libraries exempt if the bill passes so that people can't carry a concealed weapon into a library.
Rohrbaugh has invited State Rep. Charles Blasdel, R-1st, of East Liverpool to attend the Oct. 21 forum. Blasdel is a co-sponsor of House Bill 274, and his re-election bid was endorsed Wednesday by the National Rifle Association.