Not all library systems are created equal, as Flagler County's library director knows all too well. She also knows not all state funding for libraries is equal as well.

Holly Albanese's office as well as the rest of Flagler County's main library branch in Palm Coast is undergoing a small face-lift -- a few years late.

It could have been done sooner had there been extra money available.

Nearly a decade ago, Flagler County was considered one of the 34 neediest counties in the state, so the library system was in line to receive more than $200,000 in what's called an “Equalization Grant."

Albanese said that all changed shortly after she began her job in 2006.

“Up until 2006 we were, what I was told, teetering on that 34," Albanese said. "We fell off it. It was like the proverbial cliff unfortunately.”

Overnight, $220,000 were gone.

Once you're off that list, you cannot get back on it and the county's library system has struggled to stay relevant.

We ran into Mike Cossette of Palm Coast. He recently moved down here from Massachusetts and his wife needed to use the computers inside. Only thing, the computers are in storage for the next few days because of the work going on inside.

Cossette said he guesses there's a place for libraries but, “everything is mostly done on a computer now a days. I have a 14-year-old son and doesn't even know where the library is. Everything is just done on the computer.”

That's a mindset many people have about libraries. Yet for those who rely on them, libraries need to evolve to become more than just buildings holding books.

And that, of course, takes money.

Flagler County commissioners in their list of legislative priorities want to try and change the rules for these Equalization Grants to allow for counties such as Flagler to re-apply.

And if that was allowed, the state's library program administrator admits Flagler County would qualify.

Yet Albanese thinks the entire funding process is a little upside down. “I think they should just take state aid, the operating portion and revamp the way they give out those funds and that the have-nots maybe should get a little bit more of that money than the haves.”

Albanese and her staff have worked tirelessly to find new revenue streams, including adding passport photos and fingerprinting services. It doesn't make up for all the funds she's missing out on, but it helps keep the lights on.

Counties do get Operating Grants from the state, which is about 3 percent of what the counties spend on libraries.

For Flagler County, that grant last year was more than $28,000.

Neighboring Volusia County, which budgets more for libraries, received more than $452,000.