Future of local libraries uncertain from elimination of federal funding

President Donald Trump’s order directed the Institute of Museum and Library Services “be eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law.”

The following has been released by the Athens Regional Library System:

ATHENS, Ga. — The Athens Regional Library System serves residents in Clarke, Franklin, Madison, Oconee, and Oglethorpe counties. In these counties, 44% of the population has a library card. Nearly half the residents in these five counties would be directly impacted by the elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Last year, the Athens Regional Library System loaned 1,020,972 books and other items. This would not have been possible without the Public Information Network for Electronic Services (PINES). PINES is a public library lending network that connects over 300 libraries in Georgia, allowing library cardholders to borrow books or items beyond what is available on the shelves at their home libraries. This means that Georgians with a PINES card have access to over 10.6 million items that can be delivered to their home libraries, free of charge.

PINES is a program provided by the Georgia Public Library Service at no cost to local libraries. This lending system has allowed libraries across Georgia to save approximately 10 million dollars each year.

PINES is funded through the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Without this funding, the future of libraries in Georgia is uncertain. Each library would need to find funding for its own computerized lending system, which is expensive technology, and patrons would lose access to millions of titles. However, this is not all that IMLS provides communities.

Last year, the Athens Regional Library System had 87,293 people attend programs and events, 61,794 of which were children. Attendance is highest during the summer months, when hundreds of programs for all ages are planned by local librarians to provide free, educational, and entertaining activities that promote literacy in their communities.

Each year brings a new theme to the library’s Summer Reading Program. In 2024, that theme was “Adventure Begins at your Library.” This year’s theme is “Color Your World.” However,  Summer Reading 2026 is uncertain, as funding for Summer Reading is partially provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The yearly theme is provided by IMLS, along with flyers, bookmarks, stickers, graphics, reading logs, and promotional materials to make the community aware of all that is available to them during the summer at their local library.

Without the support of IMLS for Summer Reading, valuable time and materials will be lost. Some libraries may have to go without the programs that their communities know and love. These spaces that students and families go to spend their summers in safe and free ways will be limited or lacking the magic that libraries provide.

The amount of resources that IMLS funding provides could fill pages: GALILEO, a statewide database for online research, braille and talking books for the blind and print-disabled, internet access for rural communities, and the lending of laptops or hotspots for patrons without access to a computer or internet are just a few examples.

Library funding is nonpartisan- a Pew Research survey found that 78 percent of adults believe libraries deliver trustworthy, reliable information. Libraries are one of the last remaining free, public spaces for the community to gather outside of home and work. But the elimination of IMLS could mean the elimination of these third spaces.

In fiscal year 2024, the Institute of Museum and Library Services represented just 0.0046% of the federal budget, with library funding alone making up less than 0.003%. Eliminating IMLS would strip countless communities of essential resources—all to save less than $1 per American.

Libraries have always adapted to meet the evolving needs of their communities. When families need a safe space for their children during the summer, libraries open their doors wide and create welcoming programs that foster connection, support, and literacy. When aspiring entrepreneurs seek guidance, libraries respond with makerspaces and workshops on website design, marketing, and merchandise creation—empowering local business growth and fueling economic development. Whatever the need, libraries step up—serving not just as centers of learning, but as generators of opportunity and engagement.

Libraries have always gone above and beyond to meet the needs of their communities. Now, we need our communities to stand up for us. The future of your local library depends on your voice. Visit www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member to find your representatives’ contact information. Tell them to speak out against the elimination of IMLS. Tell them to save our libraries. Speak up, show your support, and advocate—not just for your library, but for the heart of your community. You matter. Your voice matters. Your library matters.

The Athens Regional Library System consists of eleven branch locations in five counties in Northeast Georgia. Call the library at 706-613-3650 or visit athenslibrary.org for more information.