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The children’s section of the Kent Memorial Library in Suffield in November 2023. Credit: Shahrzad Rasekh / CT Mirror

Library advocates are asking state legislators to fully fund the Connecticut reciprocal borrowing program “borrowIT CT” after Gov. Ned Lamont proposed a 20% cut to the program’s budget.

BorrowIT CT, formerly known as Connecticard, allows residents with a hometown library card to access material from any of the 191 participating libraries across the state. Town libraries are reimbursed by the Connecticut State Library for lending to non-residents, using the funds to buy more books and resources.

Lamont’s proposed 2027 budget would trim that reimbursement by about $140,000.

In recent years, town libraries have reported that approximately 11% of their circulation — more than 2.3 million items loaned in a year — are to non-residents borrowed through the program. 

Erin Dummeyer, president of the Connecticut Library Association and director of the Mark Twain Library in Redding, said the reciprocal borrowing program allows libraries to share their resources and save money. The proposed cuts could mean residents won’t have access to as many books or that other services might be strained.

“We are really worried that a 20% cut is going to dramatically affect our ability to serve our patrons,” Dummeyer said.

Dummeyer said people use the program for a variety of reasons, whether for convenience or if they are looking for a book or resource that their hometown library doesn’t offer.  

Patrons can return print items directly to their library or to any public library, which will be returned to the owning library via DeliverIT. This inter-library loan, which transports about $1.5 million library items a year to libraries across the state, is not currently at risk, Dummeyer said.

Rob Blanchard, Lamont’s director of communications, said the borrowIT CT funding reduction was to support “constitutional requirements for budget balance and spending cap compliance” but emphasized that the reduction will not impact DeliverIT.

Case Memorial Library in Orange receives about $10,000 a year from borrowIT CT. Rebecca Harlow, head of reference and adult services, said that as a small library, it relies heavily on the funds from the program to pay for programs that are cost-prohibitive or for upgrading their spaces.

“It’s something that we use to really supplement our very modest budget to make our collections and our spaces as welcoming as possible to everyone in our community,” Harlow said. “It is a really significant cut for a small community like Orange.”

Harlow said her library lends far more to non-residents than their own residents borrow from other libraries. While there is no cost to participate in the program, it is an indirect cost for libraries lending out their materials, which is why they are reimbursed.

If the reduction happens, some libraries may choose to stop participating and loan items only to their residents, which Dummeyer said defeats the purpose of a public library.

Darien Library is the largest net lender in the state, with around 25% of its total circulation from non-residents. Library Director Kiera Parrott said that the library’s convenient location off Interstate 95 and longer hours attract more out-of-town residents. While smaller libraries may close earlier, Darien Library is open until 9 p.m. four days a week, which Parrott said is convenient for people who work longer days.

“We have a great collection, and we want everyone that can possibly benefit from that to benefit,” Parrott said, adding that she loves that Darien residents can check out resources in other communities too. 

Darien receives $50,000 from the program, more than any other library. Parrott said the library is primarily funded through private donations that are fundraised or granted through state programs like borrowIT. If funding is reduced, Parrott said, it would be a significant hit to the budget and could jeopardize their ability to continue participating in the program.

“It would be really sad if people from different communities weren’t able to access all the different resources,” Parrott said. “Being a part of this is important to the mission of our library, and certainly the financial incentive encourages us to continue participating.”

The state funding also helps tamp down objections from people who are concerned that non-residents are using a service they don’t pay for, Parrott said.

The borrowIT program has been in place in Connecticut since 1970. Public libraries in the state that have a signed letter of agreement with the state and submit an annual report tracking the number of items loaned to nonresidents are eligible. Nearly all public libraries in the state use the program, Dummeyer said.

Sara is a legislative reporting intern at CT Mirror. She is a senior at the University of Connecticut pursuing a dual degree in journalism and political science, with minors in environmental studies and English. Last year, Sara served as the editor-in-chief of The Daily Campus, UConn’s student-run newspaper and has reported campus news since her freshman year. She is the current president of UConn’s chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and magazine editor at Nutmeg Publishing, UConn’s yearbook and magazine publication. Outside of UConn, Sara has interned at the Worcester Business Journal, the Valley Breeze and the Community Advocate, where she covered schools, businesses, local governments and community town news.