Before the legislative session wrapped up Wednesday, Gov. M. Jodi Rell released an updated budget proposal that boasts no tax increases but deeper cuts.

In a time of economic uncertainty, with citizens flocking to public libraries for free Internet access and job-search assistance, the new cuts eliminate state support for several programs for libraries. The cuts would not only leave some public libraries without Internet access, but could impact resource sharing between libraries and research databases. Some municipalities would not be able to shoulder the entire cost of the programs without the state aid.

"It would be really catastrophic in many ways for the city. It also affects the entire state," said Karen Roesler, director of the Meriden Public Library.

The Connecticut Education Network provides Internet service not only for public libraries, but for public school libraries as well. Funding for the program would be eliminated entirely under the new budget proposal. Additionally, several programs that allow residents to borrow from outside cities and towns would also be eliminated.

Since 1976 the ConnectiCard program has offered a reimbursement to libraries that lend to out-of-town residents. For instance, the Wallingford Public Library loaned 97,790 books to nonresidents last fiscal year, while 33,572 Wallingford residents borrowed books from out-of-town libraries. The library would be reimbursed for the difference, 64,218 books.

The Connecticar delivery service, which transports the materials across the state, would be eliminated, as well as the ICONN and REQUEST databases that provide access to thousands of magazines and newspapers.

The Middletown-based Connecticut Library Consortium, which provides low-cost staff training and additional services, would also be impacted.

"If those programs go away, it has a huge effect on our users," said Leslie Scherer, director of the Wallingford Public Library. "I couldn't even begin to tell you how we will handle it."

Roesler, who was co-director in Wallingford before transferring to Meriden, estimates that it would cost the city at least $200,000 to provide the services. The city's $178 million budget increased taxes and cut non-education spending for the third year in a row.

Public libraries wouldn't be the only services to be hurt by the loss in state funding. Academic institutions, especially the online Charter Oak State College, also rely heavily on the digital databases.

The Connecticut State Library provides licensing for the databases, but wouldn't be able to do so after the proposed cuts, said State Librarian Kendall Wiggin. The state would also lose the $2.3 million in federal dollars that match various programs.

"Right now, with people flocking to libraries for jobs, information, starting a new career ... libraries are being heavily used right now," Wiggin said. "It's a tough time to make these kinds of decisions.

Wiggin said it will also be difficult to maintain the law collection at the state library, which is used by law firms, students and legislators. "We'd probably just stop getting some things," he said.

Rich Harris, a spokesman for the governor's office, said the proposals ought to be looked at in the context of what the state has done for libraries. Libraries all over the state have received millions for renovations, expansions and upgrades, he said.

"This is not a cut she (Rell) wants to make, but it's a necessary cut in the context of the state budget situation," Harris said. "You have a situation where the state is staring an $8 billion budget deficit in the face and there are an awful lot of very unpalatable alternatives."

With the legislature having resumed budget negotiations in a special session, lawmakers are under pressure to come to an agreement on the budget that may or may not include Rell's proposed cuts to libraries. In the meantime, library staff across the state, such as Scherer and Roesler, are encouraging their supporters to write to lawmakers and the governor about the changes.

"That's the thing about the state support of library services is that it's shared among the whole state," Roesler said. "It affects the cities, the suburbs, the rural areas and the very well-to-do in Fairfield County. It affects all of us, and obviously some of us will have less resources to compensate for those losses."

shernandez@record-journal.com

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