This week at the Massachusetts Library Association conference I announced what
statewide services will look like for FY2006 as we move ahead with no federal funding. While we are able to
maintain the Commonwealth Catalog, the Libby eBook platform, and some funding for eBook content, the ongoing federal funding instability has caused us to make
significant reductions in database offerings. After the announcement, many people shared kind words with me and with our staff at the MBLC booth. Please know how much we all appreciate it.
I also had the opportunity to speak with Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell at the conference. As I’ve mentioned previously, through AG Campbell’s office, Massachusetts is part of a 21 state lawsuit to protect IMLS in the aftermath of President Trump’s Executive Order.
In that conversation, AG Campbell told me she wants the library community to know that the actions outlined in the executive order are illegal, and her office is doing absolutely everything in their power to stop it. They will not stop fighting. It was encouraging to know that at the highest level of state government, we have a staunch advocate who truly has our backs.
Last week Rhode Island district court judge John J. McConnell Jr.
issued an injunction to stop the dismantling the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The order calls for IMLS employees to be recalled and for processing and disbursements of grants to be resumed. It also requires that reports be submitted to demonstrate compliance with the injunction.
The first report states that IMLS staff are being recalled and that some grants will resume.
While that is good news, and baby steps in the right direction, we also learned this week that the
Trump Administration is appealing the injunction.
We are watching the situation closely and reaching out to our colleagues in other states, but until or unless IMLS is fully restored and funds are flowing, the only fiscally responsible path for the MBLC is to continue to plan for FY26 without federal funding.
We’ve created some ways to track what’s happening with services and federal funding:
MBLC Program Status
Database Information Sheet
Federal Funding Impact Dashboard (for stakeholders, on the agency website)
Federal Funding Impact for the Public (on the consumer portal) updated with the most current information.
On the state side, this week the Massachusetts Senate has been debating their FY26 budget. Senators Oliveira, Rausch, and Collins filed amendments across several MBLC budget lines. During Wednesday’s session the last of the amendments was taken up. Here are the results:
|
Amendment
|
Title
|
Sponsor
|
Action
|
|
66
|
Public Libraries 7000-9401
|
Collins, Nick, Rausch, Rebecca L
|
Withdrawn
|
|
615
|
State Aid to Regional Public Libraries 7000-9401
|
Oliveira, Jacob R., Rausch, Rebecca L.
|
Adopted
|
|
741
|
Board of Library Commissioners 7000-9101
|
Oliveira, Jacob R., Rausch, Rebecca L.
|
Rejected Bundle 3
|
|
742
|
Library Technology, Resource Sharing 7000-9506
|
Oliveira, Jacob R., Rausch, Rebecca L.
|
Rejected Bundle 3
|
Amendment 615 will add $500,000 to State Aid to Regional Public Libraries 7000-9401. This extra funding to the Massachusetts Library System and Library for the Commonwealth will have a big impact securing resources during these times of unstable federal funding. Sincere thanks go out to Senator Oliveira for his leadership in filing these amendments and his staff for being so responsive.
The Senate's debate on the budget wrapped up yesterday, and their final budget is complete. The budget now goes to the House and Senate Ways and Means Conference Committee for debate on any line items that didn’t match each other in both budgets. Once that is complete, a final version will be presented to the Governor.
