The state budget crisis has hit the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County.

        Again.

        Library officials say they will receive $3.1 million less over the next six months from the state Library and Local Government Support Fund. That reduction is compared to the same period last year.

        Combined with other funding cutbacks, the total reduction is $4.3 million this year.

        The library board plans a special meeting July 15 to discuss cuts.

        “We don't want to cut down on service,” said board member Charles W. Anness. “We don't want to cut staff because we're lean as it is.

        “The one thing this will do is kill any more expansions or new libraries.”

        The cut — a result of a statewide drop in income tax collections — will happen in July and will affect library revenues for six months. About 96 percent of the library's $52.6 million budget comes from state income taxes, which are running 8 percent lower than last year.

        Spokeswoman Amy Banister said the library's fiscal year is different from the state's, and that creates problems.

        “We get our (monthly) allocations based on estimates of what the state income tax will be, then there are two adjustments per year (in February and July) based on the actual receipts,” Ms. Banister said. “Instead of spreading the reductions out over 12 months, we've got to deal with them in six months after we've already expended a lot on subscriptions and contracts.”

        The cuts threaten to dampen the library's 150th anniversary next year, making it more difficult to fund events and projects associated with the celebration.

        Mr. Anness said other library systems will get hit even harder. Cleveland, for example, has nine separate library systems, and Columbus has three.

        “Some are going to suffer worse than we do,” Mr. Anness said, adding that the board may still have enough money for one new library in St. Bernard that is already in the planning stages.

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