03/19/2025
Important Read from the Maine Library Association (https://www.mainelibraries.org/News/13476036)
MLA Statement about IMLS
18 Mar 2025 11:25 AMAmy Wisehart (Administrator)
On March 14th, President Trump issued an executive order calling for eliminating the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the federal agency for libraries. This action would pull federal funding for libraries.
The Maine Library Association Executive Board strongly disagrees with this action. This funding cut would negatively impact all Mainers who rely on library services. Federal funding is critical for the Maine State Library to provide important statewide resources and services. In FY24, the last fully appropriated grant, Maine State Library received $1,526,754 in Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds. Each state receives federal funding through LSTA, and the overall ask for FY25 is $214 million. This would include roughly the same amount for Maine as in FY24.
Federal funding in Maine goes toward:
Free gigabit internet to 243 public libraries through the Maine School and Library Network
Supporting interlibrary loan service to over 260 libraries statewide, ensuring Maine residents have access to more than 10 million items
Providing e-books and e-audiobooks to all Mainers through CloudLibrary
Providing those who are blind or visually impaired with large print and recorded books mailed to the patron for free
Delivering professional development training to library staff through consultations and workshops
Support for online databases offered through the Digital Maine Library
Providing the Books by Mail program to homebound individuals and Maine residents who live in rural areas without a local library
Support for Maine InfoNet for technology support and training for shared library catalogs statewide, building a strong connection for resource sharing statewide, and Digital Maine Library tech support and maintenance
While most library funding in Maine comes from local sources, federal dollars are crucial in building equity by providing resources to libraries with smaller budgets. Federal funding for libraries accounts for just 0.003% of the overall federal budget, and this incredibly modest investment ensures that all communities have access to essential library services regardless of local funding capacity. Libraries are open to all, and services are well used. In 2023, there were over one million visits to public libraries in Maine.
MLA urges President Trump to reconsider this decision. We thank the Maine Congressional Delegation, who have historically supported Maine libraries and the IMLS. We now call on them to defend their Congressional authority as the only entity to make funding decisions about this agency, and to continue authorizing appropriations to support Grants to States funding.
We ask our members and all Maine residents who care about libraries to ask our Congressional delegation to oppose the defunding of IMLS and specifically the LSTA Grants to States program. For more information, see the American Library Association’s Show up for Libraries campaign.
The Maine Library Association Executive Board
March 18, 2025
Send a message to learn more
