On Friday evening, March 14, the White House released a signed executive order (Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy – The White House) that included reducing funding for the IMLS, the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The IMLS is an independent federal agency that supports libraries and museums in all 50 states and U.S. territories.
The IMLS makes up about .003% of the federal budget. The NH State Library receives between $1.3 to $1.5 million per year from the IMLS. The amount received is made up of a static base amount, plus funding calculated from the U.S. Census.
The Goffstown community may be impacted by a reduction in IMLS funding:
- Goffstown Public Library cardholders have access to the Libby platform of e-books and e-audiobooks through federal funding as managed by the NH State Library. In 2024 Goffstown Public Library cardholders borrowed 19,288 items through this service.
- The Talking Books Service is a free library service that provides audio and braille books to people with visual impairments, physical impairments, or reading disabilities. This service provides much-needed resources to residents of all ages, including textbooks and other curriculum materials to students. The library staff is working to identify the number of Goffstown residents who may be impacted if this service is discontinued.
- The interlibrary loan service, including NH State Library Staff, the state-wide database, and the delivery service that moves library materials around the state, is in jeopardy. This service is 100% reliant on federal funds from IMLS. In 2024 we borrowed 564 items for the Goffstown community, and lent 938 items to other libraries in NH through this service.
These library services are important to the Goffstown community. Please share your library stories with the NH Congressional Delegation at Congressional Delegation | New Hampshire Secretary of State.
Dianne Hathaway, Director
Goffstown Public Library