New financial ground broke Friday when Gov. Robert P. Casey released more than $600,000 for designing a new 115,000 square-foot library facility at Penn State Harrisburg.

But the ground itself will not be broken until money to pay for the second stage -- the construction --is released.

"We'll be changing governors before we get to the next step," said University President Joab Thomas. "We can't be guaranteed the money."

Although Thomas said it is "very likely" the University will receive the $17.33 million from the state for construction, it is possible Gov.-elect Tom Ridge will not release the money.

Besides the money expected from the state, the campus will attempt to raise another $2 million through private gifts to complete the project, which some sources have estimated will take four years.

"I think that Penn State Harrisburg has a special mission in terms of graduate and community programs," said Robert Groves III, executive director of University development. "A new library will strengthen those resources."

The current library facility at Penn State Harrisburg consists of temporary structures with 60 percent of all materials housed in a wing off the campus' main building.

Although the library has not been expanded since 1978, enrollment at the campus has increased nearly 60 percent to 3,628 students.

"Our space situation is extremely critical," said Greg Crawford, head of public services at Penn State Harrisburg. "Books have been put in remote storage, we have been shelving books in window sills, and a faculty study room was removed in order to build more stacks."

Penn State Harrisburg's holdings consist of 230,000 books and bound journals, 1 million microfilms and more than 4,000 pamphlets and maps. The new library is expected to serve 1.5 million potential users, including the 7,000 graduate students in southcentral Pennsylvania, as well as businesses and state government offices in the area.

A 60-page project statement will be released describing library officials' expectations to potential contractors. Many new innovations are expected to vastly improve upon the current library system. The new library is expected to feature CD-ROMs and online databases, enhanced computer facilities, a data center, group study rooms and much-needed shelf space.

"The building is designed to take full advantage of the information technology that exists today and will exist in the early years of the 21st century," said Harold Shill, head of the division of library and instructional services at Penn State Harrisburg. "We are very, very excited about it. It's been a long time coming."