Editor’s note: The Portager publishes letters to the editor from the community. The opinions expressed are published not because they necessarily reflect those of the publication but because we feel they contribute meaningfully to the local discourse on matters of public interest.
Luke Jenkins has been an occasional freelance contributor to The Portager.
After cuts in 2024, state funding for public libraries resembles the amount allotted 25 years ago, long before I was born in 2004. And a new budget draft proposed in the Ohio House results in a $100 million funding decrease over two years, compared to a proposal from Governor DeWine. Ohio is a national leader in library funding, a point lawmakers have used to justify reduced funding. This point misses the forest through the trees: our leadership on this issue is something to be proud of, not something to be cut. As a young citizen and college student who tries to stay informed, I would like to share how life-changing the Kent Free Library (KFL) has been for me—from trips as a kid to my time as an adult patron, and as a former KFL employee.
I sometimes chat with my mom about initially struggling with reading as an elementary school student. She says one day, it just randomly clicked in my brain, and I was off to the races. We would take trips to the library frequently, where my twin brother and I participated in Summer Reading programs, and loved to climb on the train in the children’s section. I remember being mesmerized by the fake tree near the children’s biography section. And above all, I remember I began voraciously reading. Harry Potter, Geronimo Stilton, the Charlie Bone series—I loved it all. This joy for reading was developed by the talented children’s librarians I met along the way, and I attribute this joy as a large reason for my academic success and growth as a person.
As a teenager, I was lucky to begin working as a Page at KFL. The job developed my attention to detail and gave me a newfound appreciation for the integrity of local librarians and their commitment to service. Every day they show up ready to provide not only books to their patrons but also movies, audiobooks, board games, ebooks, computer services, research assistance, and lead community events. The impact is wide-reaching.
When I learned I had gained admission to Vassar College—a dream school applied to on a whim—I was at the library. It was a full circle moment, running to celebrate with the children’s librarians and my coworkers. When my family realized I had the financial support to make my attendance feasible, I celebrated with my coworkers again. The place where I had first learned to love reading, to love learning, was where I celebrated this milestone.
I continue participating in Summer Reading programs and borrow books whenever I can. Recently, my brother has been frequenting county libraries more and more, traveling across the county to find the next book in his favorite series. We have been bonding over these trips and over titles we’ve both enjoyed (we’re fans of Jane Austen).
It’s not just my brother and I. Thousands of kids, young adults, and their families across the state are developing a love of reading that will help them be functioning, kind members of society. At a time when our attention spans are shrunk by technology, these physical spaces are vital to a thriving community. To those who argue libraries are spaces for indoctrination, I urge you to visit one and consider that competent reading ability makes critical thinking all the more possible.
To those who wish to support state libraries, please contact our state representatives to make your voices heard. The budget process is in its early stages. Young people will thank you.
— Luke Jenkins
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