I know a lot of state's are facing the same problems that Ohio is currently dealing with: http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/dayt...

What are some specific solutions that your local library systems have found to deal with budget cuts? Is there a solution, or are libraries as we know them a thing of the past?

The city of Austin had a series of budget meetings where citizens could offer input in the form of 20 tables of approx. 8 people per table playing with budgetary pie charts to show where they wanted budget cuts and where they didn't. There were a series of three meetings all around town so that people from all over could come. I just went to one of the meetings but apparently some people went to all three meetings to make sure their interests were well represented.

They haven't released the results yet, but at least at my table people were receptive to protecting the library. Up for discussion were cutting hours, not filling empty positions, and the library materials budget which in our city is apparently already a $1 under the national average.

Programs that were suggested for cut were some grant programs for the fire department that the city admitted historically did not recruit near the desired numbers, and the Christmas lights in the park would no longer be free.

I don't understand what you mean by "libraries as we know them". In my 50 years on the planet libraries have been constantly evolving. If you mean will the budgets go up again - of course. There will be another boom - and another bust and so on and so on.

WK: In Ohio's case many of the libraries are facing closures because they don't have local funding, and the state has cut their funding drastically.

I've heard a lot of talk from people saying that libraries are obsolete in the digital age. We have google and kindle, and according to comments in my local newspaper, "librarians are wimps."

I hope, based on the huge increase in usage that libraries have seen recently, that this opinion is not in the majority.

I'm sure the economy will recover; it always does. But a lot of libraries are facing closures. You can't recover from that.

I was just wondering the other day if libraries will face the same fate as Fotomats. I hope not.

I do promise the Ohio proposed budget cuts aren't going down without a fight - there's a pretty coordinated effort in the Columbus area to contact everyone under the sun (including Governor Strickland) to let them know that the proposed cut to the library system is not a-okay.

http://www.columbuslibrary.org/save_our_...

The Columbus Metropolitan Library system is actually #1 rated in the country by Hennen’s American Public Library Ratings. It's a pretty robust system and goes above and beyond to be both library and community outreach. The library system here has seen a huge increase in usage.

Libraries adapt and evolve - but completely obsolete? Well, if we're comparing it to the death of fotomats - well, there are plenty of places to still get digital photos developed. I still see people picking up packages of pictures from stores that adapted to digital-friendly technology (and they even take film!). Libraries that have the funds to adapt to community needs will be there for the long haul.

We had to make a minor change of hours. Our director has said there will be no lay offs.

I have to cut $20K worth of subscriptions, and am not able to buy more than a couple of books this year :(

So far I've identified about $1200 that I can cut. Tearing my hair out over the rest.