Proclamation in Response to Cuts to Federal Library Services by Springfield Town Library’s Board of Trustees (adopted 4/9/25)

We, the Trustees of the Springfield Town Library make this proclamation because the Springfield Town Library and its patrons will be directly harmed if federal support for libraries is ended.

Whereas, the Vermont Department of Libraries provides the infrastructure for vital Springfield Town Library operations such as interlibrary loan; and

Whereas, the Vermont Department of Libraries provides Springfield Town Library patrons with access to valuable online resources such as databases, career development materials, test preparation materials, e-books, and audiobooks; and

Whereas, the ABLE library run by the Vermont Department of Libraries provides people with disabilities living in Springfield access to talking books, braille books, and large-print books and magazines; and

Whereas, the Springfield Town Library relies on the Vermont Department of Libraries Certificate of Public Librarianship program to train and certify library staff; and

Whereas, the staff and trustees of the Springfield Town Library regularly turn to the Vermont Department of Libraries for instruction and advice; and

Whereas, the Springfield Town Library regularly depends on the Vermont Department of Libraries for access to grants for both routine and emergency funding; and

Whereas, federal grants administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services comprise roughly one-third of the Vermont Department of Libraries' budget; and

Whereas, the Institute of Museum and Library Services is the only federal agency serving the nation’s 125,000 libraries, helping to provide services such as early literacy development, grade-level reading programs, summer reading programs, high-speed internet access, employment assistance for job seekers, braille and talking books for people with visual impairments, homework and research resources for students and faculty, and small business support; and

Whereas, libraries of all types translate the 0.003% of the federal budget that funds the Institute of Museum and Library Services into programs and services used in more than 1.2 billion in-person library visits, and many more virtual visits, every year; and

Whereas, on March 15, Congress passed and the President signed a continuing resolution including funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the fiscal year; and

Whereas, the Institute of Museum and Library Services is an independent federal agency intended to be exempt from partisan interference due to the importance of libraries to democracy; and

Whereas, on March 15, the President signed an executive order calling for the Institute of Museum and Library Services to be dismantled; and

Whereas, on March 31, all activities of the Institute of Museum and Library Services ceased when all staff were placed on administrative leave, leaving Vermont and other states unable to apply for grants, access funds already granted but not yet disbursed, or access information necessary for budgeting and planning; and

Whereas, patrons of the Springfield Town Library will be directly harmed if the Vermont Department of Libraries is subsequently unable to continue to provide the funding and services on which the library relies; and

Whereas, the American Library Association has called upon decision-makers at every level of government to urge the White House to spare the modest federal funding for America’s libraries;

and

Whereas, the American Library Association has called upon all persons who value reading, learning, and enrichment to do the same;

Therefore:

We add our voices to all of those calling for the immediate reinstatement of Institute of Museum and Library Services staff so that this independent agency can continue to serve the nation’s libraries and their patrons; and

We urge federal lawmakers to act with alacrity to preserve the independence and continued existence of this vital agency, so that libraries across the land can continue to serve democracy by ensuring free and equal access to information; and

We urge the Springfield Select Board to acknowledge and voice its appreciation for the IMLS-funded Vermont Department of Libraries services to the Springfield Town Library; and

We encourage Springfield Town Library staff to make information about Institute of Museum and Library Services from the Vermont Department of Libraries or the American Library Association available to library patrons; and

We encourage our fellow library patrons to inform themselves about this situation and to share their views with lawmakers at every level.

Regarding an Executive Order titled “Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy” and its effects on IMLS and Libraries.
Information from Vermont's State Librarian, Catherine Delneo:

3/31/2025: Dear Vermont Library Community

I'm writing to provide an update related to the federal executive order titled Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy that was issued by the president on March 14, 2025. https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/continuing-the-reduction-of-the-federal-bureaucracy/

This afternoon at 2:39pm Teri DeVoe, Associate Deputy Director, Grants to States, Institute of Museum and Library Services sent the following message to all Chief Officers (State Librarians) and Library Services Technology Act Coordinators:

"Within the last hour IMLS received word that all staff are going to be placed on administrative leave, effective today.  We will not be able to work or respond to your emails, and we don't have any information about future timelines related to this action.

Please share with other staff as appropriate, and please know how much we appreciate you and your work."

The Department has not received any additional information from IMLS, nor has it received specific information about any impacts of the executive order upon the future of Vermont's Grants to States allocation.

We will continue to keep you updated as we learn more information.

3/28/2025: Dear Vermont Library Community
I’m writing with another update related to the federal executive order titled Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy that was issued by the president on March 14, 2025. https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/continuing-the-reduction-of-the-federal-bureaucracy/

On March 25th, the Vermont Library Association issued a statement of support for IMLS and for library services. That letter states, “Eliminating IMLS would jeopardize the future of public libraries as inclusive, accessible community anchors. It would widen the digital divide, hinder educational advancement, and leave behind the very populations that federal programs are intended to support.”

https://vermontlibraries.org/vermont-library-association-statement-of-support-of-the-institute-of-museum-and-library-services

 On March 26th, 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. The letter serves to

“remind the Administration of its obligation to faithfully execute the provisions of the law as authorized. The MLSA established the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and tasked the Director with the ‘primary responsibility for the development and implementation of policy to ensure the availability of museum, library, and information services adequate to meet the essential information, education, research, economic, cultural, and civic needs of the people of the United States.’ It requires that the Institute has an Office of Museum Services and an Office of Library Services and details the federal programs to support museums and libraries that are to be carried out by each office.”

The letter goes on to provide information about the specific funding levels that Congress appropriated for IMLS in federal fiscal year 2024.

https://www.reed.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/letter_to_acting_director_sonderling_re_imls_03262025.pdf

 As of this morning, IMLS has not provided any additional information about Acting Director Sonderling’s report–nor have they clarified when that plan will be submitted.

 We appreciate the manner in which library staff and supporters across the state are explaining the positive impacts of IMLS funding upon library service in Vermont, and how necessary IMLS funding is for maintaining current levels of library service in our state.

 We thank you for your continued patience and support as we await further information from IMLS about their response to the executive order.  We will continue to provide updates as we learn more information.

 Thank you,
Catherine

3/24/2025: Dear Vermont Library Community
,

I’m writing to provide another update related to the federal executive order titled Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy that was issued by the president on March 14, 2025. https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/continuing-the-reduction-of-the-federal-bureaucracy/

The National Museum and Library Services Board, which serves in an official advisory capacity to the Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), sent … [a] letter to newly appointed IMLS Acting Director Keith Sonderling today. That letter states,

“Among all its programs, structures, and duties, we want to emphasize core statutory obligations that are not discretionary under the law:

• Grants to States for Library Services (§9141)

• Native American Library Services (§9161)

• National Leadership Grants Program (§9162)

• State Plan Requirements (§9134)

• Statutory Disbursement of Funds (§9133)”

The Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA) also issued a welcome statement to IMLS Acting Director Sonderling. That welcome message from COSLA states, “As you are of course aware, IMLS through the Grants to States program is the single largest source of critical Federal funding for libraries, which makes up a substantial portion, from an average of one-third to over one-half of each State Library Agency's annual budget. That support allows every State Library Agency to advance its work serving the citizens of their state with effective, efficient and impactful library services. As such, COSLA, State Libraries and IMLS have a long-standing partnership of mutual support and respect.” https://www.cosla.org/assets/docs/PressReleases/COSLA%20Welcome%20to%20AD%20Sonderling.pdf

The Vermont Department of Libraries reached out to IMLS, asking when we might learn of IMLS’ response to the executive order. We’ve been told by our program manager that IMLS’ new Acting Director was charged with completing that report and that there is no information they can share at this time.

We will continue to keep you updated as we learn more information.

Thank you, Catherine

3/18/2025: Dear Vermont Library Community,

I’m writing to provide an update related to the federal executive order titled Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy that was issued by the president on March 14, 2025. https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/continuing-the-reduction-of-the-federal-bureaucracy/

This morning the Department received the following message from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) staff:

 “Congress has passed a full-year Continuing Resolution through September 30, 2025, and we are awaiting review of our funding levels by program from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).   

 After we receive our final review from OMB, our plan is to issue awards to all states. As we finalize the full-year allotment schedule in our system we will reach out to you with a final allotment table for the year. Notwithstanding outside guidance, we expect the FY 2025 allotments to be similar to last year’s allotments. Based on our grant processes, we expect to issue these awards by April 22, unless you hear otherwise from us. If the outside review takes longer than expected, we will communicate with you about issuing partial awards of approximately 50% in April.”

 The Department continues to wait for a final decision from IMLS about the specific allotment Vermont will receive in Grants to States funding, how they will implement the executive order, and whether there will be any impact on the Department or to other libraries or museums in Vermont.

Funds from the IMLS Grants to States Program comprise approximately 30% of the Department of Libraries’ annual budget and support the Department of Libraries’ Library Services and Technology Act Grants to States Five-Year Plan (2023-2027). https://libraries.vermont.gov/sites/libraries/files/LSTA/VERMONT_LSTA_PLAN_2023_2027.pdf 

 The Department will update the library community again when more information is known about the impacts of this order.

 Thank you, Catherine

3/17/2025:: "Dear Vermont Library Community,

On March 14, 2025, the President issued an executive order titled Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy. https://www.whitehouse.gov/.../continuing-the-reduction.../

This executive order calls for significant cuts to the “the non-statutory components and functions” of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The executive order states that IMLS is among the federal entities that “shall be eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law, and such entities shall reduce the performance of their statutory functions and associated personnel to the minimum presence and function.”

At this time, the Department is waiting to learn from IMLS about how IMLS will implement this executive order, and whether there will be any specific impact to their Grants to States program and/or to the Department’s federal funding.

The Institute for Museum and Library Services is the Department of Libraries’ primary federal funder. Funds from the IMLS Grants to States Program comprise approximately 30% of the Department of Libraries’ annual budget and support the Department of Libraries Library Services and Technology Act Grants to States Five-Year Plan (2023-2027). https://libraries.vermont.gov/.../VERMONT_LSTA_PLAN_2023...

The Department will update the library community when more information is known about the impacts of this order."

Catherine Delneo | State Librarian & Commissioner of Libraries
Vermont Department of Libraries
60 Washington Street, Suite #2 | Barre, Vermont 05641
802-636-0040 http://libraries.vermont.gov