Executive Order May Impact Hampton Falls Free Library Services
March 19, 2025
Executive Order Reducing the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)
and Its Impact on New Hampshire Library Users
An Executive Order issued Friday, March 14th, 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. IMLS serves as the primary source of federal support for libraries and museums across the nation, aiming to inspire these institutions to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. The budget for the IMLS accounts for 0.003% of the entire federal budget.
This decision will greatly impact Granite Staters. 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 Hampton Falls Free Library loaned out 930 items to other libraries using the ILL service and borrowed 664 items from other libraries to support the needs of our patrons.
The State Library also uses IMLS money to provide visually disabled residents of our state with Talking Book services; and to fund Libby, the eBook, eAudio and digital magazine platform. In 2024, Hampton Falls Free Library patrons borrowed 4255 titles from Libby. Libby borrows represent 20% of our library’s total circulation.
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 for library patrons.
How can you help?
Have you used and benefitted from these library services? Consider sharing with our elected officials the value you receive from these federally-funded services. We encourage you to contact your Congressional Representatives expressing why these funds are critical, and how this change will impact Hampton Falls and New Hampshire residents.
Thank you for supporting the power of libraries to provide free resources for all. As we learn more about this Executive Order and its effect on our services, we will keep you posted with updates.
Hampton Falls Free Library Board of Trustees, March 19, 2025