Pittsburgh City Council today gave its unanimous, initial approval to a transfer of $600,000 to the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, a first step in avoiding, through next year, the closure of four branch libraries, merger of two more, and relocation of another.

The money comes from the account from which the city pays for vehicle fuel, which has a surplus since fuel prices are lower than the city expected when it wrote its 2009 budget.

"The funds we're talking about today are already there. They're in the account," said Council President Doug Shields, who proposed the measure.

"I believe this stopgap funding measure is crucial," said state Rep. Chelsa Wagner. She added that a long-term solution may come if the General Assembly dedicates 1 percent of Rivers Casino table games revenue to libraries.

Library Director Barbara Mistick said she's "concerned" that gambling money might be hard to predict, and the city allocation will "give some time to get some clarity on what 1 percent means."

Mr. Shields said an emerging 2010 budget for the city could include a transfer of some city capital funding to the libraries.

Lou Testoni, the library board's finance chair, said that $600,000 from the city, along with measures the library system is taking internally and hopefully an additional allocation in the city's 2010 budget, would "barely get us through the year," possibly with reduced hours at some of the branches.

A final council vote on the allocation could occur on Dec. 1. The library trustees could vote on Dec. 14 to defer their prior decision to close the Beechview, Hazelwood, Lawrenceville and West End branches, merge the Carrick and Knoxville branches, and move the Mount Washington branch from Grandview Avenue to Virginia Avenue.

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