Beginning in March 2025, various announcements and news articles were made regarding risks to federal funding for libraries, and how it might affect us here in Thetford. Of particular interest was the status of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, which is the organization responsible for distributing congressionally-approved federal funds to libraries.
Here is a brief timeline of events, with links to further reading:
- March 14, 2025 – Executive Order “Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy” is issued
- March 15, 2025 – American Library Association statement released
- March 25, 2025 – Vermont Library Association statement released
- March 26, 2025 – Senators Jack Reed (RI), Kirsten Gillibrand (NY), Susan Collins (ME), and Lisa Murkowski (AK) sent a bipartisan letter of support for IMLS to the Acting Director of IMLS, Keith Sonderling. These four senators were the lead authors of the Museum and Library Services Act (MLSA) of 2018.
- March 31, 2025 – All IMLS staff placed on administrative leave
- April 4, 2025 – Attorney General Charity Clark sued the Trump administration
- May 8, 2025 – Vermont State Librarian Catherine Delneo announces partial funding received by Department of Libraries
- June 17, 2025 – Full funding received for Fiscal Year 2025
- July 15, 2025 – “Checking in about IMLS funding”, article by American Libraries Magazine
- November 21, 2025 – Trump Administration’s order to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is struck down by U.S. district court in response to a lawsuit filed by the Attorneys General of 21 states, including Vermont’s Charity Clark (press release from the Office of Vermont Attorney General).
- January 13, 2026 – IMLS announced the opening of its Fiscal Year 2026 grant funding cycle, with updated guidelines that were reported as having taken a “chilling” political turn (Pro Publica article from February 6).
- February 3, 2026 – IMLS funding funding passed with a $1.4 million increase for libraries. American Libraries Magazine published a writeup about the ongoing challenges and calls for continued advocacy looking ahead to the 2027 federal budget.
- April 3, 2026 – ALA article describing the White House’s proposed FY2027 budget that eliminates IMLS funding.
Why IMLS Funding Matters
Libraries throughout the country rely on IMLS funding in various ways. Generally, the funds help support the state’s Department of Libraries, and may fund core services like ebooks, interlibrary loan services, affordable internet service through the E-Rate program, and the online library systems that libraries uses to manage their materials and loans.
Here in Thetford, IMLS funding supports the following:
- Online Resources – Many online resources are available outside of our local budget via state-level access, including online magazines, newspapers, scholarly articles, and other informational databases, such as Chilton Library automotive repair manuals; Free online classes; and test and career preparation.
- Reading materials for the blind or low-vision – Free talking books and braille, and a circulating collection of large print books are among the resources we receive from the state, all of which are far more expensive for individual libraries to purchase than regular texts.
- Department of Libraries consultants – We rely on experts at the state department to connect us with information and guidance we need to provide library services efficiently and within the bounds of state and federal laws, and training for librarians and our volunteer trustees.
- Grant opportunities – Latham and Peabody receive federal grants for our summer reading program and interlibrary loan courier service. Opportunities for large capital grants are rare for libraries, but in the past several years, two such cycles have been shepherded by the state department, to help with much-needed building repairs.
We anticipate further advocacy being required to safeguard against cuts in the 2027 federal budget. We will continue to post any additional information we receive.