June 25, 2025
Tony Howard

Dear Pickerington Community, 

I am writing to you with urgent and serious news. A provision recently added to the state budget—ORC Section 3375.47 in House Bill 96—threatens to fundamentally dismantle how public libraries operate in Ohio, including right here at Pickerington Public Library. 

This language would require libraries to remove or isolate any materials “related to sexual orientation or gender identity or expression” from areas visible to anyone under 18. Because the wording is so vague and broad, our preliminary review shows this could force approximately 90% of our collection—including many beloved children’s and teen books—to be moved to “adult-only” sections. 

What this means for your families: 

• Loss of access to children’s books like The Giving Tree
• Restriction of middle grade novels such as The Chronicles of Narnia
• Removal of teen classics like Romeo and Juliet and The Princess Diaries
• Limited access to religious texts, including the Bible, Torah, and Koran 

This is not just a policy change; it’s a direct threat to access, learning, and freedom of expression for everyone in our community. 

Governor DeWine needs to hear from YOU—in the next few days. 

Governor DeWine has long supported libraries, and his original budget reflected that commitment. However, this provision was included in both the Ohio House and Ohio Senate versions of House Bill 96. It is not too late for Governor DeWine to veto this specific line item before the budget becomes law. 

We urge every community member to contact Governor DeWine immediately and respectfully ask him to veto this harmful provision before it becomes law. Your voice can make the difference. 

Contact Governor DeWine: 
Online: https://governor.ohio.gov/contact 
Phone: (614) 466-3555  Or (614) 644-4357 

Mail:
Governor Mike DeWine
77 S. High Street, 30th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215 
 

Sample Message You Can Use: 

Dear Governor DeWine, 
I appreciate your continued support of Ohio’s public libraries. I am writing to urge you to veto the library-related provision in House Bill 96 (ORC 3375.47). This vague and overly broad language would severely limit children’s access to age-appropriate books, including classics, award-winning stories, and religious texts. Please protect Ohio families by rejecting this harmful provision. Sincerely,
[Your Name] 
 

This is a critical moment for our library and community. Please take action in the next few days to protect the freedom to read and access knowledge for all ages. 

Thank you for standing with Pickerington Public Library. 

With urgency and gratitude, 
Tony Howard
Director/Deputy Fiscal Officer
Pickerington Public Library

Letter Sent to Govern DeWine

Pickerington Public Library 
201 Opportunity Way 
Pickerington, OH 43147 
www.pickeringtonlibrary.org 
(614) 837-4104 

June 25, 2025 
The Honorable Mike DeWine 
Governor of Ohio 
77 S. High Street, 30th Floor 
Columbus, OH 43215 

Dear Governor DeWine, 
On behalf of Pickerington Public Library and the community we proudly serve, I am writing to express our deep concern regarding the proposed ORC Section 3375.47 included in House Bill 96 (the FY26–27 State Operating Budget). The potential impact of this provision would be catastrophic not only to our institution and operations but also to the children and families in our community who rely on our services and collections. 

As proposed, this language would require public libraries to “place materials related to sexual orientation or gender identity or expression in a portion of the public library that is not primarily open to the view of persons under the age of eighteen.” While the intent may be to give parents more control over their children’s access to materials, the language is so vague and overly broad that its consequences are unworkable and deeply damaging. 

It is critical to understand that the term “sexual orientation” is not limited to LGBTQ+ identities—it also includes heterosexuality, asexuality, and more. Therefore, this provision could be interpreted to apply to a wide array of materials, including many that are age-appropriate and foundational to childhood development and education. Under such an interpretation, children’s access to classic stories, health resources, and even religious texts—including the Bible, Torah, and Koran—could be restricted simply because they reference marriage, family structures, or human identity. 
At Pickerington Public Library, we maintain clear, locally developed collection development policies that reflect the values and needs of our residents. We empower parents and guardians by offering specialized library cards and tools that allow them to oversee their child’s access to materials. However, we do not and should not act in loco parentis—that responsibility lies rightfully with families. 

Under the current proposal, our preliminary review indicates that approximately 90% of our collection—including a substantial number of children’s and teen books—could fall under this ambiguous categorization and would need to be removed from general shelves and placed in a restricted “adult-only” area. This includes widely accepted works such as The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank, simply because they may reference gender identity. Such sweeping changes would result in immense logistical, financial, and cultural harm. 

The cost of compliance for Pickerington alone would be substantial, as our facilities were not designed to support a bifurcated or segregated layout of this kind. Adapting our physical spaces and reprocessing our materials would consume valuable resources that should be invested in literacy, learning, and access—not bureaucracy.

Further, this provision threatens the constitutional rights of our customers and poses legal risk, as demonstrated in the recent federal court ruling in Arkansas where similar language was struck down for violating the First Amendment. 
Governor DeWine, Ohio’s public libraries are among the most trusted and essential institutions in our communities. This provision would fundamentally undermine that trust, disrupt access to vital resources, and impose an unfunded mandate that shifts the burden of interpretation and enforcement onto already stretched local systems. 

For these reasons—and in strong alignment with the Ohio Library Council—we respectfully and urgently ask that you veto this provision should it reach your desk. 

Thank you for your ongoing support of Ohio’s libraries and for your leadership in protecting the values of access, equity, and local decision-making. 

Sincerely, 
Tony Howard 
Executive Director 
Pickerington Public Library 
thoward@pickeringtonlibrary.org 
(614) 837-4104 x230