The Columbus Metropolitan Library: a shining example of positive government work

New Albany resident Philip Derrow is a retired business owner. He was a two-term member of the New Albany-Plain Local Board of Education. He is a frequent Columbus Dispatch contributor.

Most happily married people know that if you ask your spouse for his or her opinion on something, it’s best to listen. You’re more likely to stay married, and you might learn something too. And so, it was with this column. 

The usual stock-in-trade for opinion columns is disagreement; the other side is wrong and here’s why. Wasteful, ineffective government is another popular topic, as evidenced by my last column. While there’s certainly no shortage of bad government or topics on which to disagree, my wife said, “Why don’t you write about something positive?” 

Deep sense of community values

Eager for a positive outcome from that conversation, I asked her for suggestions. “How about the library?”

To which I responded, “What about the library? There has to be a hook to draw the reader in.”

“That’s your job. It’s your column.” Then the look… yes, dear; I’ll think about it. 

We know the Columbus Metropolitan Library well.

We’ve been active supporters ever since we met its soon-to-retire CEO, Pat Losinski, 22 years ago. My wife was previously the president of the library's Foundation Board. Our daughter frequented our local library branch when she was growing up.

Even with all we know, I’ve never thought of the Columbus Metropolitan Library as part of government, even though it clearly is. And that’s exactly the point. What’s a better example of good governance than a public entity, mostly supported by directly voted tax levies, that delivers on its promises and is purposefully non-partisan.

Maybe that’s why its periodic levies routinely pass by significant margins.

Outstanding job of utilizing tax dollars

 Because those of us who care about good governance are particularly focused on whether tax money is spent wisely, I spent some time reviewing the library’s most recent financial summary. Losinski’s executive team does an outstanding job of setting clear, objective, outcome-oriented goals and holding themselves accountable — and accountable to taxpayers — for the results. 

While Smart Columbus fritters away tens of millions of dollars with little to show for it, the Columbus Metropolitan Library spends its taxpayer money helping hundreds of thousands of kids and adults with nearly four million user visits each year.

Such praise was hardly assured when Pat arrived near the beginning of the digital age.

Libraries had historically been places that stored and lent books, where you could do research on obscure topics, or even just a quiet place to read. Those were, and remain, important roles, but the digitalization of nearly everything threatened to usurp many of those roles and take libraries with them. The Columbus Metropolitan Library has more than risen to the challenge.

Modernizing with values

With the continuing early literacy crisis, particularly in large urban school districts like Columbus City Schools, the library has taken on the challenge of helping 90,000 central Ohio kids get reading ready for kindergarten. The homework help centers in the Columbus Metropolitan Library’s 23 Franklin County locationscontinue to provide support for more than 100,000 kids throughout their school years. Those same facilities helped nearly 11,000 adults find employment opportunities. 

The library’s multi-year capital campaign raised more than $40 million to remodel or rebuild 14 of their locations to modernize them for the new era and make them even more welcoming to everyone in our community. 

Losinski sets a high bar for upcoming leadership

While many libraries have put themselves in the middle of the culture wars, the Columbus Metropolitan Library has consistently worked to stay centered on its mission while staying politically centered as well. As a public enterprise, its meeting rooms are open to all, consistent with a room reservation policy that is viewpoint-neutral, as the First Amendment protects and requires. 

Of course I don’t agree with every program, every promotion or every decision by the library or its governing board; I wouldn’t expect to in a pluralistic, diverse community like central Ohio. What I care most about from any of our public institutions is that they actually serve the public, spend our tax money wisely and with full public accounting, and reject partisan politics. 

Under Losinski’s leadership, the Columbus Metropolitan Library has set an extraordinarily high bar for the next chief executive to clear.

I’ll be rooting for their success and will also not hesitate to call them out if they fall short. Public accountability can be harsh but that is the foundation of good government. I’m happy to have the opportunity to celebrate one of the rare successes.

New Albany resident Philip Derrow is a retired business owner. He was a two-term member of the New Albany-Plain Local Board of Education. He is a frequent Columbus Dispatch contributor.