I am writing in support of the Wood County District Public Library (WCDPL) Renewal Levy. WCDPL is truly a community asset with over 200,000 visits per year. The library hosts 1,500 community programs, as well as answering over 110,000 questions in 2019.
WCDPL is a treasure trove of information. Where else can you find answers to just about any topic, take in a Sunday afternoon concert, learn about the local history of Bowling Green, search for the name of your great-great grandfather and find the latest NY Times best seller?
One of the library’s main focus is children’s literacy in which they provide over 1200 youth programs. WCDPL, in conjunction with the other seven libraries in the county, recently launched the Dolly Parton Imagination Library initiative. This program will provide one book per month to every child that signs up until the age of five years of age at no cost to the families. Also, WCDPL’s summer reading program has over 2,100 participants each year and helps children learn about an exciting topic during summer break.
Even in a global pandemic the WCDPL staff rose to the occasion. The staff learned new techniques to provide online programs such as children’s story times, author visits and increased online resources to keep up with the demand. They reconfigured space and adopted new safety protocols to ensure the safety of the patrons.
The WCDPL Board of Trustees have worked very hard to be good stewards of the taxpayer’s money. In a recent report from the Ohio Library Council titled, “The return of Investment of Ohio’s Public Libraries and a Comparison to Other States” Ohio’s Libraries contributed nearly $2.7 billion in direct economic value. WCDPL’s total direct return on investment was $4.25 in benefits for every $1.00 spent or a direct return of over $10 million.
On November 3rd, I ask you to join me in supporting WCDPL’s Renewal Levy (No New Taxes) to keep this community treasure vibrant and efficient.
Brian A. Paskvan
President, WCDPL Board of Trustees
