Buckeye Lake, Lakewood communities react to Licking County Library's local branch closure
BUCKEYE LAKE − For a village that doesn't have mail service and lost its polling location, closing its library will be a bitter pill to swallow.
The Licking County Library Board voted unanimously Wednesday to merge the existing Buckeye Lake and Hebron library branches into a new, larger location called the Lakewood Library, in the Arrowhead Shopping Center in Hebron.
Buckeye Lake Mayor Linda Goodman, Friends of the Buckeye Lake Library, the Licking County Commissioners and Lakewood Local Schools Superintendent Mark Gleichauf all encouraged the library board to reconsider its decision to close the Buckeye Lake library branch later this year, but they could not sway the board.
“We’re very disappointed," Goodman said. "We think it’s very valuable for us in the village. We wanted to try to figure out something to do to keep a library here. The decision was made before they even voted because they already had signed a five-year lease (for the new location).”
Licking County Library Executive Director Julia Walden said in a news release, “We are excited to expand services to the residents of Buckeye Lake and Hebron, as well as Franklin, Licking, Union and Bowling Green townships in a centralized location. We are confident Licking County Library will continue to deliver impactful experiences and meaningful services to a broader audience of residents.”
Licking County Commissioner Tim Bubb said commissioners did not second-guess the new branch location but encouraged the library board and leaders to consider keeping the Buckeye Lake branch open for three more years, as the county grows.
"The Buckeye Lake and Hebron regions are both growing and are not necessarily homogeneous communities," Bubb said. "We offered a compromise solution."
Although the new branch is called the Lakewood Library, the Lakewood schools superintendent sent the library board a letter in December opposing the closing of the Buckeye Lake branch. He said Lakewood has 266 students living in Buckeye Lake, or 17% of its student body.
"Closing this library branch eliminates a place to go, study, research or otherwise grow their knowledge of various topics," Gleichauf said. "This closure not only impacts these students, but their families as well. Most of my students and families will not have the resources or ability to travel to the new branch."
Licking County Library officials, Buckeye Lake branch supporters differ on how many patrons walk there
Buckeye Lake officials and residents said people walk to the library now and will not walk on Ohio 79 over Interstate 70, down the Ohio 79 exit ramp and along U.S. 40 to reach a library between a bar and a vape shop at a shopping center in a neighboring town.
“You’ve got to look at the human factor," Goodman said. "Students, young children, families, grandparents will have to walk to Hebron if they don’t have other forms of transportation. That’s not safe for anybody."
The village of 2,500 people has a poverty rate of 16.6%, compared to 10% for Licking County and 13% for the state, so walking is the only way to get around for some residents.
Hebron Mayor Valerie Mockus said the thought of Buckeye Lake residents walking the 2.5 miles on such busy highways is very unnerving.
“It makes me very uneasy talking about it,” Mockus said. “We had a pedestrian death in November walking on (Ohio) 79 between Hebron and Heath.
"We all know growth is coming, but they feel a tremendous amount of pressure to consolidate. It is sad it’s happening at the expense of our neighbors in Buckeye Lake.”
Michael Houser, a library board member, said there are few walkers to the current library.
“The staff has done a review of that,” Houser said. “They just don’t think that claim has been substantiated. Most are using transport to get there.”
Goodman disputed the library’s conclusion on walkers.
“I can tell you that’s not true,” she said. “I live close to the library.”
Walden said there are other options for residents unable to reach a branch of the library system.
“We are happy to assist those who cannot visit our libraries in person by helping them access our services through our mobile library, home delivery service, hotspots, hold lockers, and digital services which feature databases, books and videos. The library supports efforts to bring Licking County transit to this area of the county.”
Licking County Library: New Lakewood branch is near Kroger, centrally located within school district
The library's news release explained its reasoning for the changes:
"This prime location, in close proximity to Kroger, supports increased visibility, higher traffic rates and convenient access," the release stated. "The 4,200-square-foot space will provide an expanded floor plan more suitable to the library's changing services and growing collections, as well as a community room to support increased programming.
"This location also positions the branch geographically in the center of the Lakewood Local School District and allows for future growth and sustainability as the area continues to experience rapid development."
Houser said the Buckeye Lake branch has had declining use, while the Hebron branch experienced considerable growth.
Walden did not say what the savings will be by merging the two locations or the costs of renovating the new facility.
"The library will be positioned to better reallocate resources, both financial and operational, to other areas in our service district by reducing the number of redundancies," Walden said. "There will be some demolition of existing walls and improvements to prepare the space to operate as a public library. The construction costs will be determined as the library progresses through the RFP (request for proposal) process for a general contractor."
The existing branches each have three employees, and the new location will employ six, Walden said. There are 68 employees in the library system, which has six branches.
Buckeye Lake library branch supporters allege operational changes caused decline in usage
Charlie Prince, one of the original members of the nonprofit Friends of the Buckeye Lake Library, said the group has raised money to offset many of the costs the library would have paid.
“We’ve taken on the obligations for more than 20 years to totally fund all the building expenses — rent, maintenance, utilities, cleaning,” Prince said. “They didn't have to close the Buckeye Lake Library to move ahead with something different for Hebron.”
Pam Reed, president of the Friends group, said it has contributed about $20,000 annually.
The Friends website states library usage increased steadily in the 20 years since it opened, but Prince and Goodman said the decrease since COVID-19 is all due to changes made by the Licking County Library. They caused the usage to decrease, then used that fact to close the branch, according to Buckeye Lake branch supporters.
“They had cut programming drastically, and they weren’t doing the things to bring families in," Goodman said. "We had kids story time; Columbus Zoo and … Aquarium had events that really draw a lot of people in. We had 10 computers for public use and only three after COVID. They said usage had gone down on computers. Well, yes.”
Hebron mayor addresses rumors the village pressured the library to leave municipal complex
Mockus said Hebron did not pressure the library to vacate the branch in the Hebron Municipal Complex, at 934 W. Main St., contrary to persistent rumors. She did say the village could make use of the additional space, however.
"The village supported our library and welcomed them into our building," Mockus said. "It is not true we were pushing them out or encouraging them to leave. I don't want our library to leave our building. I've spoken with the previous two mayors. We did not ask them to leave."
Mockus said moving the branch from the far west end of the village to the far east end will make some happy and upset others. But she said the best place is in the middle, the downtown.
“That’s ideal in any community,” Mockus said. “The highest percentage of residents can walk, bicycle or skateboard.”
Gleichauf, the Lakewood superintendent, said Licking County is a growing place that should encourage its youth to stay here after graduation.
"Our region is preparing for growth and opportunities," Gleichauf wrote in his letter. "I continue to tell my Lakewood students that they will not have to leave this area for work opportunities in the future.
"Unfortunately, when basic services like a local library is removed from their village, we give them reason to leave our area and find new places to live, grow and prosper."
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Licking County Library closes Buckeye Lake branch; community reacts
