Although most of us are still able to check out books at our local library and use its Internet services, but just behind the reference desk the library world as we know it is in crisis and may never be the same.

The state of Illinois has a consortium of library systems — nine to be exact, that run our libraries’ operations. The systems provide interlibrary loans, delivery of library materials, database cataloguing, as well as the delivery of technical support to maintain the system.

And it’s a system that’s completely funded by the state. And since the state is experiencing a $13 billon deficit, libraries throughout the state are scrabbling to maintain key services, as the state has not delivered payment to them in six months.

“It’s like a family that’s trying to live pay check to pay check,” said Michael Piper, executive director for the Prairie Area Library System also known as PALS.

The area system supports libraries in 27 counties in northern Illinois and Indiana, such as Joliet, Bolingbrook, Romeoville and Shorewood. PALS has been forced to layoff eight employees in its technical support area, eliminate its continuing education program for library professionals and cut library consultants from its budget.

“We’ve been their technology partners,” said Piper of the smaller libraries in the system. “We have staff that is assigned to help our library partners. Those staff member will be released,” said Piper.

System administrators have been directed to maintain as their top priority interlibrary loan systems and the delivery of library materials, which accounts for why the average library patron is unaware of the internal crisis.

“At this time delivery is not affected. The State Library considers interlibrary loan delivery a top priority. But with funding cuts we don't really know what the future holds,” said Vicky Trupiano, director of Fountaindale Public Library District.

For the current fiscal year PALS’ state allotment was about $2.3 million, of that amount it has received about $1.3 million. And it’s unlikely that the system will receive more state payments before the end of the year, said Piper.

“We have to pare down to the basics to keep the doors open until then,” he said.

The state’s systems have existed for more than 40 years and are entirely funded with state tax dollars, which are awarded each year. The nine systems, and the Chicago Public Library which operates as its own system, are comprised of public libraries, school libraries (K-12), corporate libraries, and academic libraries.

The library community knew that changes to the consortium were coming; however, few anticipated that it would happen so fast.

“They’ve (systems) been undergoing consolidation for a while, but I don’t know anybody who isn’t shocked by how fast this has happened. I think that people thought that there would be time to be proactive, but now they feel like they have to be reactive,” said Joliet Public Library Director John Spears.

In anticipation of changes, the library community met last fall for the “Summit on the Future of Libraries Cooperation in Illinois.” About 80 representatives from the library society met to discuss impending changes to the state’s 40-year-old, 10-library systems. The group created three committees; services, structure and funding, with about 12 members on each taskforce. The groups were in the process of preparing the state’s systems for impending changes when state funding began to lag causing a rippling affect through local libraries.

Spears said in recent weeks there has been a continuous stream of announcements coming from Springfield.

“People are scared. It’s like, ‘Oh my God what’s going to happen next.’ This has the potential to change how libraries operate,” said Spears, who sits on the funding taskforce of the committee.

Larger libraries such as Joliet Public Library and libraries in the Des Plaines Valley Public Library District may not immediately feel the impact of funding cutback but smaller libraries will feel it immediately as many will have to figure out how to maintain their delivery systems and how they will manage the upkeep on their computer networks as they will no longer be able to rely on technical employees from the PALS network.

PALS cutbacks will mostly be seen in its continuing educations services to its library members and trustees. The system had previously sponsored numerous continuing education events to library professional, on a variety of topics from technology-related subjects to sessions for library trustees. In 2009, PALS held 436 training events for close to 4,000-library specialist. These classes will end as of June 30. And the system’s consulting operations will also be hit by budgeting cutbacks. Consulting specialists for PALS who are responsible for lobbying legislatures for library funding and improved programming. These positions that are equivalent to four full-time employees, will also end at the end of the month.

“I’ve never seen anything quite like this,” said Piper, “This is happening very quickly. It’s really quite unique, and we’re trying to make the best of a bad situation.”

PALS employs 45 full-time employees, and the system serves an 11,000 square mile region that provides support services to libraries in 27 counties in northern Illinois and eastern Iowa.

“I think that people don’t realize that the systems exist. They don’t’ realize that there is an entire system behind it that makes it happen, and that that structure is in jeopardy,” said Spears who sits on the funding committee of the library summit.

If the systems goes under completely library patrons will no longer be able to place a hold on an item at another library and have it delivered to their own library, said Scott Pointon, director of Des Plaines Valley Public Library District.

“The systems as we know them are dead. Now it’s a case of what will emerge from the rubble,” added Spears.