Claymont Public Library officials say they have no plans to close their Dennison location. (Photo by Stacey Carmany, Tusco TV)

Dennison, Ohio - Claymont public library officials are dispelling the rumor that they'll be closing their Dennison branch.

Library Board President Bob Michels says the rumor began circulating several months ago after they reduced the branch's hours of operation due to a lack of patronage. 

“This all started about three and a half months ago when the library hours at the Dennison Branch were cut, basically because of non-use. It was minimal use at the library, so the library director cut the hours and these individuals made the perception that we were going to close the library as our next step,” he explains.

Michels says a group has been circulating a petition and verbally expressing that the branch would be closing. He wants to assure the community that the rumor is unfounded and that they have no plans to close the library.

“We’ve never discussed that. We have no intention of closing the library,” he says. 

Michels says the group has been asking people to sign a petition asking the board to keep the library open and restore its hours. He says that they’ve already brought back the branch’s Friday hours, and they will restore the remaining hours if business picks back up.   

“My recommendation was that they go out and get people to get library cards, including themselves, and use the library, utilize it,” he says. “Then, perhaps, we can justify putting hours back on.” 

Michels says the rumor about the library closing has persisted despite his efforts to dispell it. 

“This contingent of people have come to the library meetings the last three months and we’ve told them each of the three months that we have no intentions of closing the library, but they refuse to believe us,” he says.

Michels wants people to ignore the rumor and focus instead on the great things happening in the library system. 

“We have good things going. Dennison Rotary Club has purchased the building next door to our Uhrichsville Branch and we’ll be expanding in that at some point there,” he says. “There’s a lot of good things happening and we want to keep it positive. It’s just bringing nothing but negative thoughts and people thinking we’re going to close the library.” 

Michels notes that they also just replaced the roof at the Dennison building, which is an investment they would not have made if they intended to close the branch.

STACEY CARMANY, TUSCO TV