Amid the last-minute, early-summer frenzy that almost always marks the state budget process, this much was certain: officials at public libraries didn't see any reason to expect much change in the way of help from Harrisburg.

Even with a marginal increase in the $75.5 million the state doles out for libraries, the commonwealth is among the bottom third of states in aggregate per capita spending on libraries. The reason isn't so much the state, however, as it is the localities.

Pennsylvania libraries are nearly at the bottom of the pile -- 43rd nationwide -- in the size of financial support from their communities, said Glenn Miller, president of the Pennsylvania Library Association.

In a strange way, Andrew Carnegie is among the reasons why. While he was a generous benefactor, giving the cities of Pittsburgh and Allegheny the cash to build handsome library buildings in the 1890s, the buck stopped there.

"The main consideration should be to help those who will help themselves," he wrote to his fellow "robber barons" on the issue of philanthropy, "... but rarely or never to do all."

Under his giveaway plan, it was the library's responsibility to support itself. The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, for example, has depended on local government funding since it opened in 1896.

Last year, nearly 53 percent of its $31 million income was from Regional Asset District funds -- $16.4 million. The state pays for 19 percent -- $6 million.

Foundations, donations, investment income and a smattering of other government grants make up the rest. The city of Pittsburgh came up with $49,208.

The lack of local taxpayer support notwithstanding, Barbara Mistick, director of the Carnegie Library, believes there's still a lot more that the state could do.

In Ohio, the state sets aside about 5 percent of income tax revenue for public libraries -- $457.7 million in the past year alone.

The Cleveland Public Library, for example, received $65.2 million in state funds, more than 10 times more than the Carnegie Library was paid by Pennsylvania.

Lynda Murray, director of government and legal affairs for the Ohio Library Council, added that "many libraries also get money from local tax levies. For example, the Cuyahoga County Library gets less than 50 percent of its revenue from the state."

The Pittsburgh-based Carnegie Library is, of course, only one of 45 in Allegheny County and a member of the county's Library Association, created formally in 1994.

ALCA received $5.7 million in state funds and $7.6 million in RAD money in the current fiscal year, which it distributes to its members, save the Carnegie Library.

Mistick became Carnegie Library director in 2005 after a career in business and academia and inherited responsibility for a $55 million expansion program started by her predecessor, Herbert Elish, in 2001.

Even after Gov. Ed Rendell chipped in with a $7.5 million check to the campaign last year, there's still $10 million to raise, Mistick said.

"We've been forced to add a level of expenses just to keep the library current with today's conditions and demands. Buildings needed to be renovated, the Internet brought in and other changes required. We still have four buildings that are not compliant with ADA [disabled users] rules."

The improvements have paid off with increases in library visits and materials borrowed since the Main Library and branches in Squirrel Hill, Homewood, Woods Run, Brookline, Downtown and Hazelwood were either renovated or replaced.

Still in development are new facilities in the Hill District and the North Side.

While she would like to see significantly more public funding, Mistick sounds hopeful that the community fund-raising campaign will hit its goal.

"People are stepping up around here," she said. "This story sounds too good to be true, but one day a little boy gave the Squirrel Hill branch $300 he made from his lemonade stand because he said he loves the library. I only wish our state legislators felt the same way he does."