{"id":37082,"date":"2025-04-04T15:14:46","date_gmt":"2025-04-04T19:14:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.springfieldlibrary.org\/library\/?p=37082"},"modified":"2025-04-04T15:14:47","modified_gmt":"2025-04-04T19:14:47","slug":"library-services-threatened-by-trump-funding-cuts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.springfieldlibrary.org\/library\/library-services-threatened-by-trump-funding-cuts\/","title":{"rendered":"Library services threatened by Trump funding cuts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

April 2, 2025. Read at WBUR.org for more content<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Libraries across Massachusetts are worried about how they\u2019ll provide vital services such as interlibrary loans, e-books and access to databases in the wake of an executive order President Trump signed Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The state gets $3.6 million in federal funding for library services, and the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners distributes that money to local libraries to supplement their budgets. This funding pipeline was disrupted this week when Trump ordered the entire staff of the Institute of Museums and Library Services to be placed on paid leave for 90 days, effectively halting the processing of grant dollars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maureen Amyot, director of the state library board, said concern had been building since the Trump administration\u2019s first pause on federal funding in January<\/a>, but she and her colleagues were still shocked when Monday\u2019s executive order came down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amyot and her board worry they\u2019ll have to cut funding to local libraries if the federal money doesn\u2019t start flowing again soon. Any cuts would disrupt services that libraries must provide to the public under state law, she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Local libraries are primarily funded by local property taxes to operate, but they depend on federal dollars to pay for statewide services, like databases and e-books, that interconnect every library. Without those federal dollars, libraries would not be able to afford those services on their own, and the state would not be able to make up the difference, Amyot said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the order leaves the grants in limbo, Amyot said, the staff also wonders what will come next from Elon Musk\u2019s Department of Government Efficiency, which is firing workers across federal agencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s such a fluid situation right now \u2013 everything is changing \u2013 that we\u2019re just sort of in a holding pattern,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Libraries across the state are awaiting word from the Massachusetts library board about funding cuts or delays. Their level of concern varies depending on how much they rely on federal money. In a community like Waltham, the public library is fully funded by the city, while federal funding helps pay for staff salaries in Amherst.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Libraries can also apply directly for funding through the state library board\u2019s three grant categories \u2014 Explore, Impact and Inspire \u2014 provided by IMLS\u2019s federal dollars. Before Monday\u2019s executive order, Amyot said the board was set to award 18 libraries with smaller \u201cExplore Grants,\u201d which come in $4,000 and $7,500 checks totaling $93,000 in awards. They allow smaller libraries to implement things like English learning classes, citizenship resources and preservation services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jean Canosa Albano, assistant director at Springfield City Library, said her library is scheduled to receive one of those grants. It would help purchase materials for people who want to gain U.S. citizenship and improve English language skills, highly desirable resources in her community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, they have to wait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf we did not have [MBLC\u2019s] expertise or the services they help provide, we would not be able to quickly rush in and fill that void that will be left,\u201d Albano said. \u201cWe don\u2019t have those funds elsewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another concern is funding for information access. That\u2019s secured through June 30, but librarians worry about how they\u2019ll pay for databases and subscriptions after that date, especially for patrons who can\u2019t afford to subscribe to periodicals they enjoy. The impact is expansive: Last year, Massachusetts residents downloaded over 9 million texts, according to the MLBC, and 60% of database usage comes from schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese databases are not only for researchers but also for families who are going to buy their next car [looking] up Consumer Reports,\u201d said Sharon Sharry, director of Jones Library in Amherst. \u201cIt\u2019s the way people can afford information.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The statewide e-book and summer reading programs are also paid for with federal funding, and many libraries say they would not be able to fund them locally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boston Public Library has received several hundred thousand dollars to support things like curriculum development and digitization of resources, such as an online high school program for adults<\/a>. BPL president David Leonard said he worries about funding for next year and hopes Congress will act to preserve IMLS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIs this something that Congress can act on, because support for libraries and museums nationwide has generally been a very bipartisan act?\u201d Leonard said. \u201cWe just don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Librarians hope politicians representing Republican-leaning states will step up to protect funding. In response to Trump\u2019s initial order for IMLS to be \u201celiminated to the maximum extent,\u201d a bipartisan group of senators sent a letter<\/a> to the administration defending federal funding for both cultural institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are so lucky to live in Massachusetts, where library services are supported by our state officials,\u201d Sharry said. \u201cOn the flip side, we are kind of left preaching to the choir \u2026 What we really need are people in the red states to advocate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andrea Fiorillo, head of public services at the Reading Public Library, said her library is using a $20,000 grant for a program called \u201cRooted in Reading,\u201d which explores community gardening. She pointed out that federal funding for libraries constitutes a miniscule portion of the federal budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat comes out to about 87 cents per person per year,\u201d said Fiorillo, who co-chairs the Massachusetts Library Association\u2019s intellectual freedom committee. \u201cWhat libraries turn around for our communities with that little bit of funding is almost miraculous. We take our tiny little bit and we just create these vibrant community centers.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Local libraries are primarily funded by local property taxes to operate, but they depend on federal dollars to pay for statewide services, like databases and e-books, that interconnect every library<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5,102,43,37,109,36,81,82,39,83,27,85],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-37082","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","category-news-adults","category-news-brightwood","category-news-central-library","category-news-children","category-news-east-forest-park","category-news-east-springfield","category-news-forest-park","category-news-indian-orchard","category-news-library-express","category-news-mason-square","category-news-sixteen-acres"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.springfieldlibrary.org\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37082","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.springfieldlibrary.org\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.springfieldlibrary.org\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.springfieldlibrary.org\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.springfieldlibrary.org\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37082"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.springfieldlibrary.org\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37082\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37083,"href":"https:\/\/www.springfieldlibrary.org\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37082\/revisions\/37083"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.springfieldlibrary.org\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37082"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.springfieldlibrary.org\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37082"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.springfieldlibrary.org\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37082"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}