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A budget now before the state Legislature slashes library funding a whopping 55 percent. Though that budget has not been approved, libraries are trying to make sure patrons know what the cuts will mean.
"If (the budget) goes through, 2010 is going to be gruesome," said Mary Ann Heltshe-Steinhauer, community relations director for the Library System of Lancaster County.
System director Susan Hauer, however, is "cautiously optimistic." Several state senators, she said, have spoken about the volume of mail they have received supporting libraries.
"Our message is hopefully getting through that people want their libraries to remain open," she said.
State funding is a major part of library budgets. At Ephrata Public Library, where state funding accounts for about 32 percent of the annual budget, a 55 percent cut would deprive it of about $190,000.
Other libraries in the county would be hit even harder. Moores Memorial Library in Christiana, which is in the process of converting a former bank into a new library, relies on the state for 58.5 percent of its budget. The Strasburg-Heisler Library gets almost 54 percent of its budget from the state, while Manheim Community Library and Pequea Valley Public Library get 47.2 percent and 42 percent, respectively, from Harrisburg.
Cuts in state funding, which amounted to almost $1.9 million in 2008, would have a ripple effect, causing matching funds from other sources to disappear. This includes over $260,000 from Access PA, which reimburses libraries for inter-library loaning of materials, almost $2 million in federal funding and incentive money from the Lancaster County Commissioners, which in 2008 was $148,164.
Some public libraries have already announced that hours will be cut if the budget passes in its present form. Ephrata will close Fridays and Sundays, and the Elizabethtown Public Library will close Fridays, starting Aug. 7. Others may follow, Hauer said.
Also, libraries would have to curtail the purchase of new materials and some would be forced to lay off staff or not replace employees who leave, Hauer said.
"A library like Pequea Valley would have to lay off staff and cut hours," Hauer said.
Ephrata Public Library is trying to give patrons a preview of what they can expect if legislators slash library funding.
First, the library turned off half the computers it has available for public use.
"As they break down or need updating, we wouldn't be able to replace them," said librarian Joe Zappacosta.
Black cloth is draped over sections of books throughout the library, symbolizing new materials that could not be purchased. "Laid off" staffers and numerous signs throughout the library explain the ramifications of the proposed budget.
"What we're trying to do is illustrate to people what might happen if this cut goes through," said Penny Talbert, Ephrata library's community relations director.
The proposed budget also eliminates a number of state programs, most notably the Power Library, an immense database of Web sites used by libraries and schools. Cutting Power Library, Hauer said, is "simply irresponsible."
Talbert can't understand the state wanting to slash libraries now, when usage is higher than ever. Ephrata circulated 58,000 items in June, up 9,000 from the same month in 2008.
"We're seeing people like we've never seen before," Talbert said. "A lot of them need help with résumés or using CareerLink," she said. "They need the Internet to apply for unemployment, and a lot of them don't have it. You used to be able to go to the unemployment office and stand in line. You can't do that anymore. You have to apply online, and if you have no computer skills, where are you going to go? The library is the only place to go for that help and have free Internet access."
Zappacosta said he has spoken with state Rep. Gordon Denlinger and state Sen. Michael Brubaker. He said both claim to be supportive of libraries and "feel for our situation," but he said neither has backed his words with votes.
"When they go to vote, they say nothing about libraries," Zappacosta said.
E-mail: lalexander@lnpnews.com
