Dwindling funds might cause three public libraries within the Woodland Hills School District to merge into a single library with separate locations, but services for patrons aren't likely to change, officials said.
A consulting firm that studied the financial status of the Carnegie Free Library in Swissvale, the Braddock Carnegie Library and the C.C. Mellor Memorial Library of Edgewood found that cuts in state funding have led each to look for ways to economize.
"All three of the libraries are entering into a time, or have already been in a time, when they face reduced funding," said Bruce Egli, director of the Swissvale library.
The Downtown firm Dewey & Kaye suggested three possible courses of action: remaining separate, but collaborating on programming and money-raising opportunities; developing shared services and administrative functions; or combing the three libraries into one entity.
"The only solution that seemed to offer an ongoing solution to the problem was joining the three libraries together," Egli said. "If we were one library with three buildings, in the statistical sense this would make us eligible for more funding."
Libraries got $75.3 million annually in state money in 2002 and 2003 under former Republican Gov. Tom Ridge. But after taking office in 2004, Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell slashed annual aid to libraries by 37 percent, to $47.8 million. He has increased the amount to $61.4 million for 2006.
The average public library in Pennsylvania received an income equal to $24.64 for every person in its designated service area in 2003, the latest year for which figures were available. By comparison, the C.C. Mellor Memorial Library received $18.26, the Braddock Carnegie Library received $15.19 per person, and Carnegie Free Library in Swissvale received $13.43.
"I think working together is a great way to find efficiencies, but also to find better ways to serve the public," said Marilyn Jenkins, executive director of the Allegheny County Library Association, which cooperated in the Dewey & Kaye study. "The libraries there currently do a very good job of servicing the communities, so we're just trying to help them through that process."
Each of the libraries' boards of directors will discuss the options and could make a decision by year's end, Egli said. But it would take several years for any plan to take effect, he said.
"These boards are the ones who actually have the power to do something and make something happen," Egli said. "And it has to be acceptable to the state and the county library association."
The Woodland Hills school board, which oversees the Swissvale library, will support the library board's decision, said school board member Randy Lott, who thinks it would be better to have one board dedicated to the libraries. "And there might be some role for the school board," he said.
Although the state and county library association -- the main source of money for the libraries -- also would prefer one governing body, Egli said the goal is to keep services the same.
The libraries already work together, said Sally Bogie, director of the C.C. Mellor Memorial Library.
"We've done joint programming in the summer, and joint publicity," Bogie said. "We share books, and we share information back and forth."
