Table games legislation that cleared a legislative hurdle Wednesday looks to be a winning hand, but not a jackpot, for local libraries.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh stands to gain an estimated $850,000 a year under the bill, and the Allegheny County Library Association $722,000, said state Sen. Jay Costa, D-Forest Hills, yesterday. State leaders will insist that four threatened city branches stay open, and have ensured that extra helpings of the county portion go to libraries that serve lower-income neighborhoods, he said.

In the city, that's not enough to bridge anticipated budget gaps in 2011 and beyond. In the county, it doesn't make up for recent cuts in state funding. And in both cases, it's contingent on the Senate and House ironing out differences early next year in versions passed this week -- something that's likely, but not a sure bet. The consensus on helping the libraries isn't likely to change.

"I'm really upset that this is going to have to be revisited," said Sen. Jim Ferlo, D-Highland Park. "It was a close vote. I'm up in the air" about voting for table games when the bill returns to the Senate.

The differences between the House and Senate on casino table games center on resort licenses and gambling in Philadelphia. Mr. Costa predicted they'd be ironed out by Jan. 8, since Gov. Ed Rendell has threatened widespread budget cuts if that doesn't happen.

Both chambers agree that the Rivers Casino would pay a 1 percent table games tax that would go to the Carnegie Library system. It would also pay another 1 percent, of which 85 percent would go to the Allegheny County Library Association, or ACLA, and 15 percent would go to VisitMonroeville, which lands business for that community's new convention center.

Mr. Costa said the Carnegie Library system is, in return, expected to keep open the Beechview, Hazelwood, Lawrenceville and West End branches that were threatened with closure until Pittsburgh City Council pledged $600,000 to preserve them. "It's our desire, and the desire of the city council, that each of those four libraries remain open," he said.

The system would get until July 1, 2011, to decide whether to merge the Knoxville and Carrick branches, he said.

The library administration plans to hold community meetings early next year on whether and how to merge those branches, said library spokeswoman Suzanne Thinnes. The goal would be a better location and a design that would draw more patrons.

"I would be very surprised if the community members would support that" merger, said state Rep. Chelsa Wagner. She said talk of closings should now end.

"The ball is back in the libraries' court, and now they really do need to clean up their own house," she said, including efforts to raise more corporate contributions and build endowment. "They have not showed any indication that they're going to rev up their efforts to cover their operating costs."

Ms. Thinnes said the library has ramped up fundraising efforts over the last five years. But its endowment is just $8 million, and the annual interest on that would only keep the system running for a week.

She said the system isn't ready to plug the table games money into its financial projections, which predict a $2.1 million deficit in 2011, rising steadily to a $5 million hole in 2014. Administrators want to see the final legislation.

The amount of funding "depends, too, on how much people are willing to gamble," she said. "It's kind of an unknown right now."

"If you're casting doubt on that, show me your analysis or your data," said Ms. Wagner, noting that legislative number crunchers worked up the estimate.

The ACLA money will go to 44 member libraries based on the number of people they serve, with around $108,000 designated for 15 libraries that serve distressed neighborhoods.

ACLA Executive Director Marilyn Jenkins said that won't make up for this year's $1.2 million cut in state funding to the organization, but it may help libraries reverse some staff cuts and reductions in hours.

If state and Regional Asset District funding returns to pre-recession levels, the table games money could enable libraries to make new investments in technology, she said. That could mean more wireless computing capabilities and technology to hold online public forums, she said.

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