Adams County Libraries Cut Hours Amid State Budget Shakeup

Starting October 1, all Adams County Public Library (ACPL) branches will reduce their open hours — a quiet shift with loud implications. After years of maintaining full services despite shrinking local revenue, the system has announced trimmed Friday and Saturday hours in response to a new state budget that slashes library funding and eliminates Ohio’s longstanding public library funding formula.

What exactly is changing on Oct. 1? Libraries in Peebles, West Union, Seaman, and Manchester will open later Fridays and close earlier on Saturdays. The new operating hours will be: 

These changes target periods of lowest foot traffic, according to library leadership.

Nick Slone, Executive Director of ACPL, explained:

“Each library is equipped with a people counter at entrances. We’re able to analyze reports on foot traffic, down to the hour. By looking at these patterns over time we were able to determine that Friday mornings and Saturday afternoons were the slowest, on average. In order to save on operating costs, the library hasn’t replaced any staff who’ve retired or left the library this year and likely won’t replace the next couple of departures. This creates coverage gaps, and difficult decisions needed to be made about how to ensure we maintain quality of service and minimize the impact on community members.”

Adams County is made up of many working families, students, and jobseekers who rely on weekend or evening access. Even small shifts may leave big gaps. While this is not the first time the library has faced a reduction in state funding, it is the largest funding cut since 2010, as verified in available records through 2021.

What happened to cause these budget cuts? The issue stems from two simultaneous budget blows: 

First, a 22% drop in local levy revenue following the closure of DP&L in May 2018, a major local taxpayer.  Second, a fundamental change in Ohio’s funding model for libraries, approved in the state budget passed this July. For decades, Ohio guaranteed libraries a share of its General Revenue Fund (GRF) — originally set at 2.2%, more recently 1.7%. This formula gave libraries some budget predictability. 

However, in the 2025–2027 budget, the legislature removed that formula entirely:

The Old Model: Guaranteed 1.7% of the GRF.  The New Model: Flat dollar amount ($490M in FY 2026, $500M in FY 2027). This results in $25 million less than expected, and funding is now vulnerable to cuts as it is not guaranteed, with no state funding guaranteed past FY 2027. Additionally, consolidation of several funds into the Public Library Fund (PLF) further reduced money for public library systems by more than $10 million annually.

Nick Slone shared more about the impact of the budget changes:

“Earlier in the summer, the library made the difficult decision to end our wifi hotspot lending program. We’d hoped that the federal e-rate program was going to help us fill the gap and continue, but that funding is currently on hold, with a high likelihood of being cancelled, as well. The biggest costs for any public library are always going to be staffing and materials. Some costs can’t be controlled during a funding crunch, such as the 30% increase to our electricity rates. The bottom line is that without improved funding, we have to start limiting services that require staff time, as well as the number of materials we can purchase for the library collection. For the time being, my hope is that this reduction in hours will enable us to preserve the rest of our existing services until the next state biennium budget cycle. I’m also keeping a close eye on funding at the federal level, as it could directly affect our costs for lending e-books and membership costs for SEO, which allows Adams Countians to borrow items from over 90 other libraries in Ohio.”

“Patrons have expressed sadness and disappointment that we’ve had to make these decisions,” Slone said, “with lots of love and support for the library, as well. We’ve heard from some that they’re happy we’re able to preserve after school hours, in particular.”

Davina Blanton, Adams County resident and Library Patron since 1989, remarked, “As a child, one of my first memories learning at the public library was of dinosaur extinction. Never in my lifetime did I imagine there could be an extinction of libraries.”

According to The Institute of Museum and Library Services data benchmarking (imls.gov), as of 2022, Ohioans visit libraries 3.41 times per year on average, among the highest in the country, coming in third behind Wyoming and the District of Columbia. Usage is even more critical in rural areas, where gaps in infrastructure — digital and social — are wider. Ohioans also check out on average 12 books per year. Our research could not determine if these statistics included eBook lending, which has grown in popularity over the last several years with the rise of smart devices like tablets.

Borrowing items Beyond Books is possible at ACPL. Most people are aware you can use computers, Wi-Fi, access copy, fax, and printing services, and borrow books on CDs and movie DVDs (or when the author of this article was a young library patron starting in 1989, when the first library in West Union opened on Elm Street, with library card #90 at the time — VHS tapes. Especially one VHS tape, Elmo Visits the Firehouse, that his younger brother checked out repeatedly for what seems like in my memory at least a solid year if not two.)

Did you know, however, that today you can also borrow bikes, STEAM learning kits in a variety of subjects, Phonics Kits, metal detectors, and more, not to mention reserve meeting spaces — some with smart technology. Technology help and basic classes are also available. Check with your local branch for more information. 

Ohio libraries have a history of being exceptional and forward-thinking with the services they provide. ACPL is no exception.

The history of Adams County’s Public Libraries has deep roots, and the beginning of the local resource spans back over a century to Peebles in 1896. Today’s multi-branch system was officially renamed Adams County Public Library in 1999, though individual branches have served communities like Peebles and Manchester for decades. Over time, the library has added services ranging from genealogy help and digital access to voter registration and summer lunch programs for kids. A complete timeline of the history of the library is available at: https://www.adamscolibrary.org/history.

Nick Slone emphasized that while alternatives are limited, they’re still working every angle:  “We recognize that costs have been rising for everyone, so we have no plans at this time to seek additional levy revenue, and we’re extremely grateful that voters have supported us in the past at the ballot box. Our local levy makes up 31% of our overall funding. We’ll continue to pursue grant funding and partnerships with our support groups for projects. When it comes to operating funds, our hopes right now still rest with the General Assembly in the next biennium budget. In the meantime, as always, we’ll continue doing our best with what we’ve got.”

He added: “I want to thank all of the patrons who’ve expressed their love and support to the library staff. I’m passionate about public libraries, where I’ve been working for 18 years. Some of our team members have been with the library for over 30 years as dedicated public servants. Please know that this decision has been a difficult one, but that we intend to continue to provide the best possible service with the resources we have.”

The story of Adams County’s libraries is one of resilience, adaptation, and community spirit — but the latest cuts pose a real test of how much these vital institutions can endure. As hours shrink and resources tighten, the question becomes less about convenience and more about access, equity, and opportunity for the families who depend on them. Whether the future holds a revival of stable funding or further erosion of services will depend on the voices of local residents and the choices made by state leaders. For now, the library’s survival rests, as it always has, on the strength of the community that built it and the community the library continues to improve with its presence.