Lancaster Public Library employees and volunteers caught some sunlight Tuesday as they slowly proceeded down Duke Street with 500 feet of stapled postcards.
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"What did you do at work today? Walked some postcards around," one member of the procession joked as the strand stretched down nearly the entire city block.
For the county library system, however, the 500-foot-and-growing strand is no laughing matter.
Each card, stapled to a thick black ribbon, reads "Please don't cut library funding!" ––!\qan increasingly impending concern as elected officials in Harrisburg work to craft a state budget.
The strand of "hundreds and hundreds" of petition postcards — each signed by a library patron — will be delivered to Harrisburg on Monday in a plea to legislators, said library system spokeswoman Mary Ann Heltshe-Steinhauer.
"We're not going to just blaze the Capitol," Heltshe-Steinhauer said. "We like to create a visual. We want them to see people care about libraries."
So far, the budget negotiations are not looking good for libraries.
Gov. Ed Rendell has proposed a budget that would cut $1.75 million in direct library subsidies statewide, while Senate Republicans have called for a statewide cut of $37 million.
For the Lancaster Public Library, which is already operating at a $336,000 yearly deficit, any cuts would be "dire," according to Joyce Sands, interim executive director.
"Ideally, we would like an increase, but that's not realistic," Sands said. "Given the dire state of library funding to start with, level funding would be what we would hope for."
Sands said the Lancaster Public Library, which receives about $1 million a year for local and district services, is "traditionally underfunded."
This is not the first year libraries are faced with a budget crisis. After a cut in the 2003-04 fiscal year, the library slashed operating hours by 48 a week in 2005, Sands said.
Although the budget has incrementally worked its way back to the pre-2003 level, Sands said a cut in state funding this year may force a reduction in hours again.
Also at risk of cuts is the Duke Street Business Center, services like inter-library loans and delivery, and programming, Sands added.
Library patrons Tuesday said fewer hours and services would affect them.
"If they had to cut hours, we wouldn't be able to read as much," said Ricky Martin, a soon-to-be freshman at McCaskey High School who likes comics and anime. "After school, you can come and bring your homework and study. It's a good place to be."
Others worried about the effect on the community.
"It makes me so mad," said Kateri Woestman, who will be a sophomore at Penn State University in the fall. "It would affect more than me particularly ... it would strip the community of more books and services."
Sands said circulation and library services, such as Internet use and business advising, are in higher demand since the economy began to tank.
"People stop renting videos and buying books," Sands said. "They start looking for as many freebies as possible."
To garner more support for the county libraries, a rally will be held Saturday from 10 to 11 a.m. in front of the Lancaster Public Library, 125 N. Duke St.
Final petition cards, which are available at all county libraries, will be collected before Heltshe-Steinhauer delivers them to the Capitol, where legislators are grappling with a $3.2 billion shortfall.
"In the House, there's a lot of concern about mandates on the county, especially with children and youth money and the disabled health population," said state Rep. Katie True, a Republican from East Hempfield Township. "The museums and the libraries ... while they're very, very valuable, I don't hear as much discussion about them.
"It's very difficult to balance physical, mental, and the addicted needs ––!\qbecause they're having rallies also –– up against libraries, museums," True said. "It's all issues most of us care a lot about."
But Sands said library funding should be a "high priority."
"I think there are a lot of services that are vital, but we think we are one of those services," Sands said. "We are the public's point of contact for free information. What, in a democracy, is more important than that?"
Until any definite cuts are made, the library continues to bustle along as usual.
Janet Jaccinor, who will be a junior at McCaskey High School, brings her younger brothers Kenny and Wesley to the library for computers, obscure book series and entertainment.
"Sometimes we're bored at home," Jaccinor said. "You can come and do research on the computer, and there's more of a variety of books than my school library has.
"Everything you need is in here."
Staff writer Katy Hopkins can be reached at khopkins@LNPnews.com or 481-6028.
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