To the editor:

The Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County would like to thank its library customers and residents of Jefferson County for their outstanding support in protest of Gov. Ted Strickland's proposal to cut the library budget by 30 percent. Our voices were heard - loud and proud.

Library users from the county and across the state flooded the governor's office and the Legislature with phone calls and e-mails. In just one day, the Ohio Library Council reported that library users jammed Strickland's lines with more than 10,000 calls and e-mails.

The public support is emotionally overwhelming and appreciated more than we can acknowledge.

Loyal PLSJ customers personally called to let us know the messages they left and replies they received from the offices, then asked - "What else can I do?" Customers also took it upon themselves to take an armload of fliers and go door to door asking the general public to contact their elected officials in Columbus to save their libraries. In addition, many thanks goes to the Fort Steuben Mall for allowing the library to have a table for a few days to pass out fliers. Library staff were touched by the stories people shared about how much their library means to them.

Libraries realize that our government had to make tough decisions to fill a $3.2 billion hole in the $54 billion budget. Libraries are part of the solution. I don't have to tell you how people depend more than ever on their library in a declining economy, our customers already have passionately done so in editorials and stories in the media around the state.

Because of the outpouring of voices from library users heard around the state, 251 public libraries in Ohio will receive an additional 11 percent cut as opposed to the 30 percent proposed reduction by our governor. This cut along with the 20 percent libraries already face from a slumping economy is still a significant loss to libraries. Know that we are working hard to face these financial challenges while still making it paramount to provide our users with the outstanding service they have come to expect from us. Again, thank you.

Jennifer Cesta

Public relations coordinator

Public Library of Steubenville

and Jefferson County