Managing cutbacks

Expenses were cut heavily in 2009 and 2010 including rolling back raises for staff and reducing the Library’s contribution to staff OPERS withholding, by a third. (OPERS is the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System.)

We reduced part-time hours by one fourth leading to fewer programs and more efficient use of staff time for activities such as Senior Outreach. We also cut back dramatically in travel, supplies and vendor contracts.

Special Funds

We have two large funds that serve as a means to save for big, multiyear projects. These are the Technology Fund and The Building and Repair Fund. We can transfer money into these accounts, but not out of them. We usually do this at the end of the year, although the transfers are budgeted at the beginning of the year. Through contributions to the Building and Repair Fund we have been able to renovate the Noble Neighborhood Library this year.

The Anne Bauer Fund was established in 1996 to pay for staff training and development. It came to the library in a gift of savings bonds from Larry Bauer, that amounted to nearly $480,000. The interest on these savings bonds is to be allocated yearly for professional conferences. The savings bonds are stored in a safe deposit box.

Fundraising

We feel there is a current need to create a multi-tiered voluntary giving structure for the library. In addition to gifts to the library directly, a donor may give to the Friends of the Library, or, in a few months, there will also be a library Foundation established within the Cleveland Foundation.

Private donations to the library or these two support organizations:.

Friends of the Heights Library

Fund for the Future of Heights Library (our foundation)