In these tough economic times, many understand and feel what living life on the edge is like. I am not talking about fun thrills and adventures. I am talking about the frightening thrill of living hand-to-mouth.

With so many governments in debt, many public institutions are feeling the crunch, even a fear to remain open and active. Libraries may face the worst of budget cuts.

Here is a sad story of a library struggling to stay open, which may be forced with no choice but to close for the summer after thieves stole their air conditioning unit.

The public library in Robbins, Florida has barely been able to stay afloat and open the past few years, and now the theft of a $10,000 air conditioning unit was more than just a financial blow. The town of less than 5,000 has extremely high unemployment and a high percentage of people not paying property taxes. Thus, funding has been almost non-existent. This as reported in the Sun Times.

Miami Heat Star to the Rescue

Federal and state grants, and gifts from the community — including a $25,000 check from Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat, a Robbins native — have kept the doors open. But the staff, paid minimum wage, hasn’t gotten raises in six years.

The thief climbed up on the roof, dismantled and stole the HVAC unit.

That left the library — which conducts summer kids’ programs, adult literacy and computer programs and serves as a cooling center — when there’s air conditioning. It will probably cost more than $10,000 to replace the air conditioning unit and the facility may have to close.

Yet another case where society as a whole pays for thievery. Hopefully, mandatory Florida theft classes in the future will keep gut-less acts of theft like this away.