- Target:
- Federal and State represenatives and legislators
- Region:
- United States of America
- Website:
- www.winfieldpubliclibrary.com
Save Federal Funding for Libraries
The proposed federal budget will COMPLETELY CUT funding for The Institute of Museum and Library Service (IMLS) and its grant program, The Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). Public libraries, school libraries, and cultural institutions across the nation depend on IMLS and the LSTA grants to provide additional financial support for programs, library materials, and technology.
Local libraries in Marion County, Lamar County, and Red Bay, AL depend on IMLS and LSTA funding to provide the following services:
• Discounted Internet Services
• Technology Grants: Our computers and upgrades for better service are provided through LSTA grants.
• Collection Development grants: We have received grants to build and refresh our medical collection, Spanish language materials, adult and juvenile non-fiction materials, adult fiction, audio books, movies, and TV series.
• Literacy Outreach programs for all ages
• Books-by-Mail service: For homebound residents who cannot make it into the Library.
• Inter-Library Loans (ILL): the ability to borrow books from all libraries in the USA.
• Programming for story hour, arts and crafts, STEM, and summer reading
On the state level, the following services to Alabama public libraries will be cut or severely curtailed:
• Statewide Summer Reading Program
• Homework Alabama
• Learning Express Library
• Services to the Blind and Physically Impaired
• Ancestry.com Library Edition
• Chilton Auto Repair Manuals Online
• Technical/IT support to public libraries
We the undersigned, demand the State of Alabama preserve funding for our local libraries in the recently released "America First" and future federal budgets. The small amount of federal funding appropriated each year makes a huge difference in the cultural, artistic, and civic life of our community and for your constituents. Our libraries provide vital resources that contribute significantly to Americans’ economic development, education, health, and well-being whether by facilitating family learning and catalyzing community change or stimulating economic development through job training and skills development. Small, rural libraries find it hard to manage and survive occasional small budget cuts, but a cut this huge will be devastating! Library boards and local municipalities could be forced to eliminate library services and programs. Libraries are the ONLY institutions that offer equal access to information and education in our communities. This budget contains level funding for the Alabama Public Library Service, Supplemental Aid to Public Libraries (State Aid), and Homework Alabama. The funding needed and requested by the Alabama Public Library Service is as follows:
• APLS operations budget level funded
• Supplemental Aid to Public Libraries increase by 12 cents per capita ($571,255) for a total appropriation of $4,849,000
• Homework Alabama increase by 5% for a total appropriation of $285,000.
• In addition, we requested a $50,000 one time funding for an FY2018 Bicentennial Project
• The Alabama Virtual Library (AVL) needs a 3% - 5% increase to keep it a robust resource
Please fight to keep my town and our state more interesting, vibrant, and successful by funding the arts and humanities.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The SUPPORT THE FIGHT TO PRESERVE LIBRARY FUNDING FY2018 petition to Federal and State represenatives and legislators was written by Winfield Public Library and is in the category Education at GoPetition.