Legislature discusses cutting library funds

It's a worse-case scenario but the estimated 1,000 people who use the Sebring Public Library daily for services like the Internet may have to find another place to go if the state Legislature cuts funding to libraries.

On March 10, the Florida House and Senate Transportation and Economic Development committees proposed eliminating all state funds to public libraries in order to plug an estimated $3 billion budgetary deficit for next fiscal year.

If the proposal goes through, Highlands County would no longer receive services like Internet access, computers, cataloging, intra-library and inter-library loans and other services provided by the Heartland Library Cooperative.

The cooperative would lose $450,000 it receives in state funds for its libraries in Highlands, DeSoto, Hardee, Glades and Okeechobee counties.

The cooperative depends completely on the state for funding its operations and would be at risk of shutting down if it is eliminated.

The cut in state money would also impact the $252,380 the county gets from the state for the library system, said Mary Myers, Highlands County director of library services.

"We're talking about thousands of people being affected," Myers said.

Thousands of people like Tammie James, who use the library everyday for leisure and for finding work, and Dave Stoddart, a Canadian looking to relocate to Sebring, and Sheila Hardy, a vacationer who likes to surf the net - would have to find an alternative place.

In today's economy, the library has become people's technological lifeline. Many who can't afford Internet at home use the library's for free.

"I think it would be a disservice to the people rather than help," said James, who has visited the Sebring Public Library everyday for the last two weeks since her laptop stopped working.

Noon Tuesday, the Sebring library was bustling with check-outs and about six people who were waiting for computers to open up.

Myers said it's been this way since the economy started to slump.

"The library has become very important in the economic downturn because people use the library for the Internet, to look for jobs, to apply for jobs, to file for their state benefits, those things are really important in the economic situation the country is in," Myers said.

The state funding allows them to receive more in federal aid.

In 2010, Florida is up for an $8.9 million Library Services and Technology Act grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Service.

Each state qualifies for these federal funds that are based on population, but in order to get it, they have to contribute their own money.

"So if a state doesn't contribute funds of their own they are not eligible. And if this state aid program is lost, it would have a negative effect for money that Florida would otherwise be eligible to get," said Faye Roberts, Florida Library Association executive director.

The proposed cuts are in the preliminary stages and will be discussed by lawmakers during later budget meetings.