State cuts threaten county library funding

State budget cutting is threatening to eliminate more than one out of every three dollars that run the Highlands County Library System.

If that happens, the county libraries would have to turn off all 32 public computers and wipe out patrons' access to the Internet, said Mary Myers, director of library services.

Especially in this tough economy, Myers said, Internet access at the library has become a lifeline for a growing number of people who depend on it for their job searches.

The proposed elimination of state aid also would lead to lay offs, reducing hours and services, and possibly closing one of the county's three library branches, Myers said.

"I don't think they (state legislators) understand what the true impact would be," she said.

Early Thursday morning, libraries across the state were alerted that a key budget conference committee in the Florida Legislature was considering elimination of state funding for libraries.

"If state aid is eliminated, branches will close all over the state and the public library service to rural libraries will be decimated," said Lisa Manners, chairwoman of the Florida Library Association's legislative committee.

The Highlands County Library System had been planning on funding of $1,430,000 for the next fiscal year.

Of that amount, Myers said, the county libraries had counted on $275,000 in direct state funding, plus $232,000 - which covers all technology and computer operations - from the Heartland Library Cooperative, which is almost totally funded by state aid.

"That's more than a half a million-dollar reduction" if state aid disappears, Myers said. "And I don't think anybody thinks the county has the kind of resources to make that up."

The proposed elimination of state aid to libraries was pending Thursday before the House and Senate Transportation and Economic Development Appropriations Conference Committee.

Going into conference, the proposed state budget contained $21.2 million for state aid to libraries, down from the $25 million in the current budget and the $23 million recommended by Gov. Charlie Crist.

When the committee members met late Wednesday, house members proposed a total elimination of state funding for local libraries.

"Basically, the committee came down to the choice of cutting library grants or school readiness and they chose library. This is a long way from being over, though," state Rep. Denise Grimsley R-Lake Placid reported by e-mail late Thursday afternoon from Tallahassee.

The most severe consequence of losing state aid would probably be losing computer services, Myers said.

"All of our computers are owned and operated, maintained and supported by the cooperative," Myers said. Without state aid, funneled into Highlands County through the cooperative, she said, "we wouldn't have computers, either for staff functions or public functions."

As Myers was calling county officials and library supporters on Thursday to line up opposition to eliminating state aid, Bruce Moellendick had just finished using a library computer.

"I've always used libraries, but now it's critical," he said. "The (Internet) access is crucial for me now, and I'm sure it is for many other people."

Moellendick is an unemployed country club golf pro, and said getting on the Internet at the library is the only way he can find and apply for PGA job openings.

"This is a great service they provide," he said. "It also allows me to file my unemployment claims online. And trying to do it over the phone is virtually impossible, with all the people on unemployment now."

After losing his job, Moellendick said, he had to cut expenses and cancel Internet service at home.

"The library is extremely important to me, I'm here almost every day and I do my business online," he said.

"I moved up here from Fort Myers, and it's the same situation down there," he added. "At the Lakes Regional Library, they've got probably 50 computers for Internet and there is a waiting line for them every day."

June Fisher, the county's community services division director, said maintaining library services, particularly free Internet access, has become crucial for many people.

"I think the libraries have gone way beyond the 'passing-the-time,' quality-of-life aspect and have become a critical service for more and more people," she said.

"We have seen more than 1,000 patrons a day coming into the Sebring Library alone, to utilize not only written resources but also the computer resources," Fisher said. "They're writing resumes, applying for jobs and looking for resources to assist them in these hard times."