If you've ever loved or used the library, we need you.
You may have heard or seen something about the March 14 executive order stopping the funding of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. But does that affect NPL, you ask? After all, local property taxes make up the majority of our money to keep the library operating. That local money - thank you! - keeps the lights on, the staff working, and some materials coming in every month. It doesn't cover everything, as much as every one of us wishes it could.
So yes, cutting government funding hurts NPL and by extension, your library experience. But how? Here are a few things that can or will be affected by the loss:
- Our library-to-library delivery of materials (which we call interlibrary loan) that you request is paid for with that government funding. It pays for the transportation, supplies, and folks who get that done. In 2022, for instance, our patrons got 34,299 items on loan from other Illinois libraries this way.
- Special programming that we couldn't afford completely by ourselves. For example, we've received over $12,000 for Code Club as part of STEAM education. If there's an expensive author or performer, government money may pay for part of the cost of their performances so that individual libraries (even small ones) can provide access to them.
- In some cases, money for physical things, like our laptop / hotspot checkout kits. Or our booths (we call them pods) that provide study space or somewhere to have a virtual job interview.
That list is just for starters - and it doesn't even explain what OTHER places in the community receive IMLS funding and will be impacted by its loss. To learn more, listen to or read this interview from Charlie Schlenker / WGLT here.
Although it's less than .003% of the federal budget, that IMLS funding delivers major impacts not just here at Normal Public Library, but also in libraries and museums across America. Help us to help YOU with the materials and support you need.
How? It's easier than you think. Send a message or call your Senators and Representatives urging them to overturn the executive order and protect IMLS funding. Alert others and ask them to do the same thing. Fam, we need each of you to speak up for us. Now is the time. Thank you.
More info from the American Library Association: https://www.ala.org/faq-executive-order-targeting-imls
More info from Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias: https://www.ila.org/news/5858/message-about-imls-funding-cuts-from-secretary-of-state-state-librarian-alexi-gi