MANCHESTER, NH – An executive order issued Friday, March 14, 2025, calls for the reduction and elimination of functions of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), which is an independent federal agency that supports libraries and museums in all 50 states and U.S. territories. This decision will greatly impact Manchester residents and Granite Staters.
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In our state, the New Hampshire State Library currently has $1.5 million of IMLS money to fund its interlibrary loan program (ILL), as well as the online catalog & van service to support it. In 2024, The Manchester City Library loaned out 1,525 items to other libraries using the ILL service, and borrowed 1,194 items from other libraries to support the needs of our patrons.
The State Library also uses IMLS money to provide you with Talking Book services, and Libby, the eBook, eAudio and digital magazine platform. In 2024, Manchester City Library patrons borrowed, on average, over 6,000 titles per month through Libby.
What does this mean for you?
This funding, if not available, will dramatically affect the above mentioned services that we currently provide to our patrons, crippling the collaboration between New Hampshire libraries, and drastically reducing access to materials library patrons would not otherwise have access to.
How can you help?
If you object to the elimination of these funds and the functions of IMLS that are specifically used to serve you, the public, we highly encourage you to contact your Congressional Delegation expressing why IMLS and the funds provided are critical, and how it will severely impact the many residents who rely on these valuable services, not only in our city, but around the State.
We also encourage you to show your support by signing our petition to support the Federal funding of the State Library. You can sign online or by visiting the library to add your name to our paper petition.
Thank you for supporting the power of libraries and as we learn more we will keep you posted with updates and other ways to help!