OP-ED: Concern for Libraries and Community Wellbeing

NY State Libraries face over $8 million dollar federal funding cut

By Brian Hildreth, Executive Director, Southern Tier Library System

Local libraries and our region’s library system anticipate a reduction in support, which will adversely impact services to our community. On March 14, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order (EO) with the intent to eliminate the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law.

This EO forced all employees at the IMLS on administrative leave within two weeks. One week after staff dismissal, state library agencies across the United States were notified that the Grants to States program administered by the IMLS was terminated. The New York State Library (NYSL) will lose $8.1 million in annual revenue because of this action. 

How does this impact our libraries and library system? Libraries across the Finger Lakes, Southern Tier, and Western New York receive comprehensive support from NYSL. This reduction in federal funds will impact local libraries’ ability to offer our communities summer learning programs, talking book and braille materials, online news publications, and job and test preparation resources, all of which are coordinated through federal aid. 

Moreover, NYSL supports our Southern Tier Library System (STLS) by ensuring state operating and capital aid flow to our communities to maximize local taxpayer investments. NYSL also empowers STLS through legal guidance, partnerships with local agencies and governments, professional development, and cost-saving shared services. All of this support will be lost.

There are two initiatives happening in New York that attempt to address this EO. First, Attorney General Letitia James is co-leading a coalition of 20 other attorneys general to sue the Trump Administration to overturn the dismantling of the IMLS. This is a step in the right direction, but it will not immediately solve the $8.1 million loss in federal aid.

Second, there is a request before the New York State Legislature and Governor Hochul to increase the Cultural Education Fee by $5. Increasing this fee, which is applied to real estate transactions, would add $7 million to the Cultural Education Fund. Both the Senate and Assembly have included $12 million in their one-house bills for this fund. This fee increase would help offset a portion of the lost federal aid. It is essential that this measure be included in the 25-26 state budget.  

STLS libraries are objectively experiencing a demand for services. Over the last 12 months, material usage increased 4%, program attendance increased 38%, visitors increased 21%, and materials circulated across libraries increased 4%. Moreover, our libraries are partnering with agencies and governments to address critical local issues like food insecurity, healthcare access, workforce development, homelessness, substance use, and trauma intervention.

The impacts of the dismantling of the IMLS and reduction in federal aid to NYSL go beyond concern for our libraries and community. Access to libraries and the resources they provide are part of our national identity. Public libraries have thrived since before the birth of our nation, and our founders intended them to be instrumental in our democratic society. In 1796, George Washington urged us in his farewell address, “Promote then, as an object of primary importance, institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge.” I think all Americans can agree that an informed citizenry is key to our unified prosperity. Public libraries are the only educational, civic spaces in our community that offer access to all with no fee for entrance.

What can community members do? First, please contact your federal elected officials to inform them the dismantling of the IMLS is wrong. Second, contact your state elected officials to encourage them to support the Cultural Education Fund. You can visit the STLS website (https://www.stls.org/) for easy ways to do this that require little time. Third, support your local library by voting on its upcoming budget. Lastly, use your local library. Our libraries take great pride in the services they offer, and they contain something of purpose for all residents.