Libraries over United States They cut on e-books, audio apples and credit programs after the Trump Management suspended millions of dollars in federal grants, as he tries to dissolve the Institute for Museum and Library Services.
Federal judges issued temporary orders to block trump cards to take additional steps towards the secretion of the Agency. But unexpected grant cuts delivered a significant blow to many libraries, which review budgets and look at different ways to raise money.
Maine He fired his staff with his staff and temporarily closed his state library after he was not receiving the rest of his annual means. Libraries in Mississippi have stopped offering a popular e-book service and South Dakota The State Library has suspended its loan interlllibration program.
E-book programs and audiobooks are particularly vulnerable to budget reduction, although these offers exploded in popularity from Pandemic Covid-19.
“I think everyone needs to know the costs of providing digital springs to most libraries,” Cindy Hohl, the president of the US Library Association. “It’s a continuous and growing need.”
Library officials caught him with Trump’s cuts
President Donald Trump He issued an executive order 14. March to dismantle IML before he shot almost all his employees.
One month later, the Maine State Library announced that she issued notifications of dismissal for workers financed through IMLS grant programs.
“There was such a surprise to all of us,” Spencer Davis, Generalist Library in the State Library of Maine, which is one of the eight employees who were fired 8. May for suspended financing.
In April, California, Washington and Connecticut were the only three countries to receive a letter that states the rest of their funding for the year was canceled, said Hohl. For others, money has not yet been distributed. Three countries all filed formal objections with IMLS.
Rebecca Wendt, director of the State Library in California, said that it was never said why in California funding was interrupted, while other remaining states did not receive the same notice.
“We’re mystified,” Wendt said.
The agency did not respond to an email asking for a comment.
Popular digital bids on a hacking block
Most libraries are funded by city and county governments, but they receive a smaller part of their budget from their state libraries, which receive federal dollars each year to enable the payment of summer reading programs and digital books. Libraries in rural areas rely on federal grants more than those in cities.
Many countries use funds for payment for e-books and audiobooks, which are increasingly popular, and expensive, offers. 2023. More than 660 million people in the global borrowed e-books, audiobins and digital magazines, more than 19% in 2022, according to Overdrive, the main distributor of digital content for libraries and schools.
In Mississippi, the state library helped finance its state e-book program.
A few days, Erin Busbea was the holder of bad news for readers in his library Mississippi: HOOPLA, a popular e-book and audiockey check application are suspended in ghosts and lawsuits.
“People called and asking,” Why can’t I access my HOOOP books? “Said Busbea, director of the library Columbus-Lowndes Public Library in Columbus, the majority black town northeast of Jackson.
The library system also had to stop parts of its loan system that allows readers to borrow books from other countries when not available locally.
“For most libraries who used federal dollars, they had to diminish those activities,” said Hulen Bivins, the executive director of the Mississippi Library.
States are fighting against freezing funds
Funding, the financing occurred after approximately 70 members of the Agency, in March were placed on administrative leave.
The general lawyer in 21 countries and the U.S. Library Association has filed lawsuits against the Trump Administration to seek the Agency’s dismantling.
The annual budget of the Institute is below $ 300 million and distributes less than half of that in state libraries across the country. In California, the State Library was informed that about 20% was abolished, or three million dollars, from its $ 15 million grant.
“Small library systems are unable to pay for the e-book themselves,” Wendt said, State librarian of California.
In the South Dakota, the Program of the Content Loan in the State is pending, according to Nancy Van der Weidu, the Spokesperson Department of Education in South Dakota.
The Institute, founded in 1996. The Republic Controlled Congress, also supports the National Library Training Program called the former First Lady Laura Bush, which wants to hire and train libraries from various or insufficient backgrounds. The bush spokesman did not return the request that seeks comment.
“The financing of the library is never robust. It is always a point of discussion. It is always something you need to advocate,” Liz Doucett said, director of the library in Brunswik, Maine. “It only adds general anxiety.”
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Lathan is a member of the Corps for Associated Press / Report for the News Initiative America State. The report for America is a non-profit national service program that puts journalists in local reporting editories on draft issues.