Ohio’s libraries are truly the best in the nation. Not only do we have more than 8.7 million people in this state who have a library card, but Ohio public libraries also have the highest visits and transactions per capita in the nation, according to the Ohio Library Council.
Ohioans make more than 77 million library visits in a year.
Ohio libraries educate, empower, engage and help with employment and entrepreneurship. It’s no wonder that with such a strong relationship between the public and our state’s libraries that we strive to be exceptional stewards of taxpayer dollars, making the most with what has been entrusted to us. In a return on investment calculation performed by the OLC in 2014, they discovered that for every $1 spent by Ohio public libraries, Ohioans receive $5.48 in economic value.
While the nation has its eyes fixed on our presidential candidates this election season, I would also encourage patrons and all library supporters to take a close look at your local and state office candidates. An individual who supports libraries will make a great difference in your local community.
As you have an opportunity to engage with your local candidates this season, tell them what your local library means to you. Share a story about how libraries have benefited your life, your family or your career. While libraries may not be a “hot button” issue, we can be sure they’re a public institution that at least 8.7 million Ohioans care about, and that’s worth talking about.
You can find your current representatives and how to contact them by visiting www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislators/find-my-legislators. Stop by www.delawarelibrary.org while you’re online and see what’s new in the audiobook collection.
• El Paso by Winston Groom. After feared outlaw and revolutionary Pancho Villa kidnaps his grandchildren, railroad tycoon John Shaughnessy, known as the Colonel, ventures to El Paso with his adopted son and a band of hired cowboys on a rescue mission.
• Escape Clause by John Sandford. Virgil Flowers’ investigation into the theft of two rare Siberian tigers from the Minnesota Zoo is complicated by a summer visit from his girlfriend’s sister, who aims to seduce him.
• Night Watch by Iris Johansen. When the surgeon who made it possible for her to see goes missing, Kendra Michaels recruits government agent Adam Lynch to accompany her on a trail that leads to the snowy California mountains, where they discover the murdered body of one of the doctor’s colleagues.
• Paris for One and Other Stories by Jojo Moyes. A collection of eight short stories is complemented by a novella in which a young woman abandoned during a romantic mini-vacation gathers the courage to embark on an independent tour of Paris.
• Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult. When her reluctance to treat the newborn of a white supremacist couple results in the child’s death, a black nurse is placed on trial and is aided by a white public defender who urges her not to bring up race in the courtroom.
• Today Will Be Different by Maria Semple. Initiating small changes that she hopes will reverse negative patterns in her life, Eleanor Flood is derailed by her family members’ unethical practices before an encounter with a former colleague triggers dramas that reveal a buried secret.
• Winter Storms by Elin Hilderbrand. Returning to prepare for Kevin and Isabelle’s wedding, the Quinn family find themselves facing a powerful blizzard, holiday drama, and an emotional reunion.
