Parma Heights, OH – January 26: Ukrainians Marta and Taras Chaban, who escaped from violence of war, are a portrait in the library where they take English lessons twice a week, January 26, 2023 in the Public Library of Cuyahoga – Parma Heights Branch, in Parma Heights, Ohio. (Photo Graham Stokes for Ohio Capital Journal)
The panel of economists has mostly said that if the federal and state -owned financing cuts of public libraries become reality, it would harm “human capital” – knowledge and skills that can be used as an economic resource. The smaller majority stated that this would also reduce the economic production of the state.
He would spend a budget proposed by House controlled by Republicans Almost $ 91 million less In public libraries, than the project proposed by Governor Mike Dewine, informs the Ohio Library Council.
“In addition, Ohio’s house changed the method of assigning a library financing,” said the library council last month. “Instead of receiving 1.7% of the General Fund of the State Revenue (GRF)-as was established in the permanent law-Fund of the Public Library (PLF) would become an appropriation of position. This change may expose future financing of libraries to a greater risk, because the appropriation of the position of the line is more susceptible to the elimination.”
In addition, the group led by Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, moved To eliminate the Museum and Library InstituteFederal subsidy agency with a budget of $ 290 million a year.
Benjamin Franklin in 1731 “he invented the library we know“Smithsonian Magazine announced last year. Then he founded the library company of Philadelphia, which was low-cost enough for average people to join and improve.
Franklin himself was self -taught and would be the most renowned American in the world. He knew that access to books and other materials had great potential as improvement, democratizing strength.
“These libraries have improved the general conversation of Americans,” said Franklin Smithsonian Magazine. And “they made ordinary traders and farmers as intelligent as most gentlemen from other countries.”
In 1833, The first completely tax library Open in New Hampshire. In the years 1886–1919, industrialist Andrew Carnegie put money on the opening Over 1,600 public librariesThen almost half of the free public libraries in the United States. Over 100 Carnegie libraries have been opened in Ohio.
“The library exceeds any other thing that the community can do to bring benefits to its people,” says Concern Concern Ohio History Connection. “This is a failed spring in the desert.”
Like Franklin, Carnegie believed that public libraries are of fundamental importance for the functioning democracy.
“Is Not such a cradle of democracy on Earth as a free public libraryThis republic of letters, in which neither the rank, the office nor the wealth receive the slightest consideration – he said.
He is not able to afford to study, the future President Harry Truman was a voracious reader of American history. Later he claimed that before he was 14 years aged, He read every book in Independence, Mo., Public Library.
“Not all readers become leaders” Said Truman. “But all leaders must be readers.”
In 2025, public libraries offer more than books. Are an significant economic resource, especially for underestimated Americans, The American Library Association said last month.
“Public libraries are an essential infrastructure in every American community, and especially in times of economic uncertainty,” said the group. “The elimination of federal funds for public libraries will be felt in every community throughout the country, and especially in rural areas. Public libraries provide people with professional skills, entrepreneurship support, home teaching and educational materials, and access to food services without federal funds. Because many people stand in the face of reduction of work and systems, there is a increased need for service libraries in the field of improvement working forces. “
At Ohio, the Scoto analysis presented some questions about the financing of the 14 economists’ panel library.
When asked if “Cutting funds from Ohio public libraries will reduce the development of the human capital of Ohio residents,” said 11, one said that no and two are not certain.
In the comments section from the survey Kevin Egan from the University of Toledo spoke about weekly library visits with children.
“Every time we went to the public library, there were full citizens using its resources: many different types of human capital development except just reading, including public access to computers for online applications for work and resumption of preparation; study rooms, so that students prepare for classes and make up for lessons, helpful staff to locate what you are interested in learning,” wrote Egan.
The only economist who said that the financing of libraries does not embroider human capital was David Brasington from the University of Cincinnati.
“Other sources of information made libraries unnecessary or replaced,” he wrote.
The huge majority of economists also agreed that “limiting financing from Ohio public libraries in the long run would reduce national economic products.”
Nine agreed, two disagreed and three were uncertain.
“I am not clear how many libraries will increase economic production and it is probably difficult to measure it, but I am sure that they at least help,” said Jonathan Andreas from Bluffton University. “It was one of the reasons why Andrew Carnegie spent a large part of his fortune in libraries.”
Brasington definitely disagreed.
“Libraries are increasingly irrelevant in the information era,” he said.
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