The Robinson Township Library has been open for a year. It has a collection of 10,500 books, 500 DVDs and 48 magazine titles. It has eight computers, logs 15,000 minutes a month of computer use and, as of the end of April, served 15,422 patrons.

But in the eyes of the state, it does not exist. And that's a problem, because that means the library, which serves Robinson and Kennedy, does not qualify for a slice of the state library funding pie.

"The Legislature and the Commonwealth Library System need to recognize that there are some new entities out here," Robinson librarian Mary Theobald said.

When Gov. Ed Rendell took office in 2003, he and the Republican-controlled Legislature engaged in an epic game of "chicken" with the state budget, and library funding was slashed by 50 percent.

To protect libraries in distressed communities, the Legislature froze the library funding formula at 2002 levels. The formula determines how state library funds should be divvied up, based on patron activity and population.

The 2002 formula, however, is based on statistics from 2001, when the Robinson Library didn't exist. Thus, it's not in the formula, which means it gets no money.

Adding insult is that the state funds that should be the library's share are paid to the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, which the state considers the county's primary library and the entity that receives funding for communities that don't have libraries.

The Carnegie has handed over funding -- about $53,000 -- for Robinson's share, but it keeps Kennedy's, which is about $36,000. Carnegie communications director Suzanne Thinnis said the organization is following the advice of the Commonwealth Library System, and there is an application process that Robinson can pursue.

Ms. Theobald noted that $36,000 is about one-fourth of the Robinson library's annual budget but said her quibble is not with the Carnegie Library.

"The issue is at the state level," she said. "They are not recognizing new libraries."

Robinson is the only new library created in Western Pennsylvania since the formula was frozen; Ms. Theobald said the Philadelphia area has two new libraries and they both got funding directly from the Legislature.

She said the advice of legislators so far is that Robinson "should get onto the same hook as those libraries in the Philadelphia area" and get a separate deal going with the state.

The more substantial solution, obviously, would be for the state to rerun the formula, but that, according to a representative for state Sen. Wayne Fontana, D-Brookline, is a political nonstarter because it would hurt the libraries that have been underperforming since it was frozen.

The government has been building library funding back up and thresholds have been set that would bring the formula back to life, but the funding has not yet reached those thresholds.

"The proposed budget includes a 2 percent increase, and we're all lobbying hard for a 4 percent increase because that would let the formula be re-run," Ms. Thinnis said.

Ms. Theobald is doing her part in the lobbying effort. She has met with Mr. Fontana and other local lawmakers and has twice spoken publicly before the Robinson commissioners. "They have some influence, and I hope they use it," she said.

Otherwise, the situation will just get more ridiculous as 2001 recedes further into the past.

"I would love to pay income tax based on my 2001 performance," said Marilyn Jenkins, executive director of the Allegheny County Library Association, "but the IRS won't let me. They insist that I be current."