MBLC Blog

Month: August 2025

  • Service Update – August 27, 2025

    PDF of MBLC Service Update – August 2025Download

    🕙 MBLC Monthly Board Meeting on September 4th (Hybrid)
    Contact: Rachel Masse

    The regular monthly board meeting of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners is scheduled for 10AM on Thursday, September 4th, 2025, at the Holyoke Public Library.

    📰 MBLC Funds Statewide eContent

    Contact: Jaccavrie McNeely

    At its August board meeting, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) approved $500,000 in grants to Automated Networks to purchase eContent for the Library eBook and Audiobook (LEA) program. LEA gives Massachusetts residents access to eBooks, audiobooks, and more from 400 participating libraries from across the Commonwealth. This statewide system allows eContent to be shared in a similar way to physical materials, opening up access that was previously unavailable for eBooks and audiobooks. The LEA collection has grown 37% over the past three years and totals almost 1.5 million eBooks and Audiobooks. To read more about funding statewide eContent, visit the MBLC website.

    📝NEW BLOG POST Fortifying Your Library: The Future is Unknowable, but the Past Can Help Us Prepare

    Contact: Al Hayden

    Welcome back to another edition of Fortifying Your Library!  Let’s spend some time addressing a question that has been at the top of the mind for several months now: what happens to public libraries during an economic recession? To read the full post, visit the MBLC Blog.

    🗓️Financial Report Closes on Friday, October 3rd

    Contact: Cate Merlin, Jen Inglis

    State Aid season continues! The FY26 Financial Report survey will close on Friday, October 3rd. Waiver applications are due on Friday, November 7th. Financial Report & Waiver workshops will be held this month. Sign up for the State Aid Listserv for updates and information. Don’t hesitate to reach out to the State Aid team if you have any questions or concerns. More information and dates can be found at at the MBLC website. 

    💬 State Aid + Financial Report Weekly Drop In Hours (Online)

    Contact: Cate Merlin

    Wednesdays in September at 9am – Zoom Link

    In September, Wednesday State Aid Office Hours are now also Financial Report Drop In Hours- and they’re weekly at 9am! Make sure your budget, materials spending, and hours open fully meet State Aid requirements, and bring your Financial Report and/or Waiver questions, big and small. Registration is not required, and session and chats will not be recorded or saved. Use the same Zoom link each week.

    🗓️September State Aid Financial Report Workshops (Online)

    Contact: Jen Inglis, Cate Merlin

    Tuesday, September 2nd at 10am – More Information & Registration

    Wednesday, September 10th at 1pm – More Information & Registration

    Friday, September 12th at 10am – More Information & Registration

    Monday, September 15th at 1pm – More Information & Registration

    Review the FY26 Financial Report and questions. Workshop information (meeting ID, etc.) will be emailed to registered participants as the date of the session approaches. Registration is required.

    🗓️September Waiver Workshops (Online)

    Contact: Cate Merlin, Jen Inglis

    Wednesday, September 3rd at 10am – More Information & Registration

    Tuesday, September 9th at 1pm – More Information & Registration

    Thursday, September 18th at 10am – More Information & Registration

    Review the FY26 Waiver application and requirements, required for libraries that have not met the FY26 Municipal Appropriation Requirement (MAR). Workshop information (meeting ID, etc.) will be emailed to registered participants as the date of the session approaches. Registration is required.

    💻 Web Accessibility Office Hours

    Contact: Jaccavrie McNeely, Kate Butler

    Need help making your web content accessible?  MBLC staff are here to help!  Join our office hours every first Friday at 11AM or third Wednesday at 3PM.

    Next First Friday Session: Friday, September 5 at 11AM – No registration needed

    Next Third Wednesday Session: Wednesday, September 17 at 3PM – No registration needed

    View all upcoming Web Accessibility programming under the Internet, Technology, and Access category on our calendar.

    📄Accessible Word Documents

    Contact: Jaccavrie McNeely, Kate Butler

    Thursday, September 11 at 2PM – Registration required

    Learn advanced Word skills to make your documents accessible!  MBLC staff will be discussing and working through hands-on exercises for accessible headers, document templates, alt text, and more.

    💬 State Aid + Financial Report Weekly Drop-in Hours (Online)

    Contact: Cate Merlin

    Wednesdays in September at 9AM – Zoom Link

    For August and September, Wednesday State Aid Office Hours are now also Financial Report Drop-in Hours- and they’re weekly at 9am! Make sure your budget, materials spending, and hours open fully meet State Aid requirements, and bring your Financial Report and/or Waiver questions, big and small. Registration is not required, and session and chats will not be recorded or saved. Use the same Zoom link each week.

    🤝Library Advisory Office Hours (Online)

    Contact: Al Hayden

    Monday, September 8 at 9AM – More Information & Zoom Link

    Monday, September 22 at 2PM – More Information & Zoom Link

    Open to all Directors, Trustees, Library Friends, and Foundation Members. They are designed to be an open-ended, safe space for questions and interaction among participants. Sessions will NOT be recorded, and chats will NOT be saved. Registration is not required; stop by anytime during the hour!

    📅 ESOL Roundtable Discussion (Online)

    Contact: Ally Dowds

    Wednesday, September 24 at 10AM – Zoom Link & More Information

    Connect with literacy coordinators and library staff to exchange ideas, collaborate on projects, and build a supportive community. Whether you’re an experienced educator, a new ESOL coordinator, or a librarian developing services and collections, this roundtable provides a forum to come together for meaningful discussion and resource sharing.  Bring your questions, challenges, and successes!

    🤝So You Want to Be a Library Trustee? (Online)

    Contact: Al Hayden

    Wednesday, September 24 at 7PM – More Information & Registration

    Do you want to do more to advocate on behalf of your local public library? Are you considering running to be a Library Trustee? Join Rob Favini, Head of  Library Advisory & Development/Government Liaison and Al Hayden, Library Advisory Specialist from the MBLC as they provide information about what your library does for your community, the role of a Library Trustee, what responsibilities you’ll encounter should you become a successful candidate, and what supports and resources the MBLC offers to the library community and its advocates. This program is a basic primer designed for people who are considering becoming a Library Trustee in their community, though new Trustees may find valuable information and are welcome to attend as well. This session will be recorded and slides will be shared with all who register, regardless of whether or not they are able to attend live. To encourage frank questions and open discourse, the Q&A session will NOT be recorded.  

    🕙 MBLC Monthly Board Meeting on October 9 (Hybrid)
    Contact: Rachel Masse

    The regular monthly board meeting of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners is scheduled for 10AM on Thursday, October 9, 2025, at the Nevins Library, Methuen.

  • The Future is Unknowable, but the Past Can Help Us Prepare

    The Future is Unknowable, but the Past Can Help Us Prepare

    Welcome back to another edition of Fortifying Your Library! While I remain committed to being a policy nerd and will continue to offer policy-based content that hopefully helps your libraries, there are other ways to fortify your library. I wanted to spend some time addressing a question that has been on my mind for several months and the results of that inquiry. The results of the inquiry, while not particularly surprising, were very informative, nonetheless. And I wanted to share that information with all of you in the hope that you will be able to use it to prepare your library.

    The Question

    The question I wanted to address was: what happens to public libraries during an economic recession? As you may suspect, what prompted this inquiry was the large quantity of media speculation as to whether or not the US is heading towards a recession. As it turns out, there are no universally agreed upon indicators that can predict an impending recession. The definition of an economic recession comes from the independently run National Bureau of Economic Research‘s Business Cycle Dating Committee, but they only define it once data has come through that shows that the US has met those markers for a specific period of time (i.e. they confirm the country is in a recession once a recession has already begun). Which confirms that we cannot know what the future holds. That said, the media talk of the possibility of an impending economic recession is still out there. If that happens, the lack of available funds can strain budgets and libraries should have a strategy of what to do in that case, whether the potential for a recession is weeks or years away.

    Libraries and the Great Recession – The Data

    We can’t predict the future, but we can look at trends from the past. Fortunately, there’s a peer-reviewed study on that! In 2023 Public Library Quarterly published an article by Michael R. Mabe titled, Impact of Great Recession on Library Use: Does a Negative Economy Impact Library Use? Mabe discovered that public library usage and circulation both increased by a statistically significant amount when the economy turns downward. I highly recommend reading the study in its entirety, as it provides background for the anecdotal evidence that has been a part of library lore for decades that prompted his inquiry in the first place and it describes how he arrived at his conclusions. But for context, here are the key takeaways that were most relevant to answer my question:

    • The study demonstrates that library usage increased in a statistically significant way during the Great Recession when compared to the years leading up to the Great Recession
    • Circulation increased 13.3% on average, nationally
    • Library attendance increased 26.8% on average, nationally
    • Public use of the library increased regardless of whether the library received proportional budgetary support

    What about Massachusetts?

    Mabe used national data to arrive at his conclusions, but we here in MA are lucky to have statistics that every library reports annually: ARIS (Annual Report Information Survey). Many thanks to all of you who have gone through the process of collecting and submitting these statistics. Much of the information I collected to replicate Mabe’s findings were from the ARIS. I used Mabe’s definitions of pre-recession and Great Recession, which is a pretty narrow scope. One could easily make an argument that the economic effects of the Great Recession lasted beyond 2011 and we could certainly get a fuller pre-recession picture looking back a bit further. However, to keep the parallels between my inquiry and the study’s statistically significant data, I’ve stuck to his definitions to make the best apples-to-apples comparison possible. Therefore, pre-recession is defined as the years 2006, 2007, and 2008; Great Recession is defined as the years 2009, 2010, and 2011. Yes, we do have MA library data going back to 2006! You can find all of the ARIS reports and data spreadsheets on the MBLC’s Library Statistics page. I compiled the statewide average for each year listed for each metric (circulation, attendance), then I (or, more accurately, the spreadsheet) calculated the average of the 3 pre-recession years and the 3 Great Recession years.

    Here’s what I found out about Massachusetts:

    There were generally about 370 libraries that submit the ARIS, so for each metric, I had about 370 data points to work with. Our usage pre- and during the Great Recession did, indeed increase over those times.

    • For the 3 pre-recession years, MA libraries averaged 156,815 total circulation (this includes circulations direct from each library AND inter-library loans [ILLs]) and had an average of 81,872 visitors each year.
    • For the 3 Great Recession years, MA Libraries averaged 176,475 total circulation (direct and ILL) and had an average of 108,403 visitors each year.

    Which means that in Massachusetts libraries:

    • Circulation increased 12.5% during the Great Recession
    • Attendance increased 32.4% during the Great Recession

    By comparison, these numbers are pretty close to the national average of 13.3% increase in circulation and 26.8% increase in attendance that Mabe found in his study.

    What does this mean?

    My conclusion from this MA-specific information is that I’m comfortable enough with the proximity of our data to the national data that I would consider* this information statistically significant as well. Which also means that we now have data to indicate that in a time of economic downturn, MA residents relied more on their libraries.

    I also looked at one of the other points that Mabe took into consideration about library usage, which was not related to the budgetary support the library received. You can find the data I used for MA by using the municipal pie. Library funding increased between pre- and Great Recession by 4.37%. This percentage is clearly not equivalent to the increases MA libraries saw in usage. Another interesting point that came out of the municipal pie was that pre-recession, the percentage of their municipality’s General Fund that went to libraries averaged 1.30%. The average percentage of the General Fund that went to libraries during the Great Recession was 1.28%, so while libraries got a modest increase in funding from their municipalities in terms of dollar amounts, they did not get as high a percentage of the overall funds available from their municipality during the economic downturn, despite library usage increasing.

    Great? Now what?

    While the future is still unknowable, we can look back to where we’ve been, and where we’ve been is an increase in library usage when the economy declines. Whether or not we are immediately headed for another recession, I’d like to posit that we can extrapolate our numbers of the past and see what the potential could be for future library usage if patterns stay the same. Which is precisely what I’ll be exploring in my next post…

    * For clarity, the years I define for MA are fiscal years because that is how our data is collected. Mabe did not specify whether or not he was using fiscal years for his study.

    ** Full disclosure, anything I may have learned in my college statistics classes promptly fell out of my head the moment I finished the finals.

    ~ Al Hayden, MBLC Library Advisory Specialist

  • Data Collections through Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)

    Contact: MBLC State Aid Specialist Jen Inglis, MBLC Head of State Programs Cate Merlin

    The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) works with State Data Coordinators in all 50 states and U.S. territories to collect information about libraries.

    In Massachusetts, we collect the data we report to IMLS through the Annual Report of Information Statistics (ARIS).

    IMLS also works with an independent data research company to ensure overall data accuracy, reliability, and consistency. The changes we are implementing now are a result of research that began four years ago.

    They are completely unrelated to the Trump Administration.

    Here’s how the IMLS data collection system works. Research about the data is conducted by an independent research company. Results and recommendations are brought forward to State Data Coordinators and Chief Officers of State Library Associations who then vote on any potential changes. Questions being added and/or removed every year is standard practice.

    The changes below were voted on in 2023.

    The MBLC made the decision to make the changes in phases to allow for a smooth transition, training, and full implementation.

    Below is detail of what was added and what was removed for IMLS reporting for FY2026.

    Holdings Questions Removed
    E-Holdings:
    H5E-books: Adult 
    H6Downloadable audio: Adult
    H7Downloadable video: Adult
    H16E-books: Young Adult 
    H17Downloadable audio: Young Adult
    H18Downloadable video: Young Adult
    H27E-books: Children’s
    H28Downloadable audio: Children’s
    H29Downloadable video: Children’s
    Subscriptions:
    H48Electronic serial subscriptions 
    H49Local research database & online learning platform subscription
    Number of databases:
    H100Network databases & online learning platforms
    H101Local databases & online learning platforms
    H102State databases & online learning platforms
    Circulation Questions Removed
    Usage of databases & online learning platforms:
    C35Usage of local databases & online learning platforms
    C35Usage of network databases & online learning platforms
    C36Usage of state-wide databases & online learning platforms
    Circulation Questions Added
    new C34E-serials circulation: Adult
    new C35E-serials circulation: Young Adult
    E-serials circulation: Children’s  

    It is important to note that there are local databases that libraries purchase for use by their own local patrons and there are statewide databases that the MBLC and Massachusetts Library System (MLS) purchase for use by any person who lives, works or studies in Massachusetts. LOCAL database stats will no longer be collected. The MBLC will still collect data on statewide database usage that references the current and historical data collection hosted on the MLS website (https://guides.masslibsystem.org/databases/statistics)

    IMLS as an agency has been affected by the Trump Administration. On March 14, 2025 President Trump signed Executive Order 14238 which eliminates the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) “to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law.” IMLS is the single largest source of critical federal funding for libraries. The MBLC receives $3.6 million from IMLS.

    Due to the federal uncertainty caused by this executive order, the MBLC made several rounds of cuts unrelated to data collection:
    April cuts
    May cuts

    Regardless of the fate of the IMLS, the MBLC will continue its annual data collection via the Annual Report of Information Statistics (ARIS) and Financial Report surveys. Completion of these surveys remains a requirement for the State Aid to Public Libraries program, and statewide data collection will become even more critical to Massachusetts libraries if national data collection ceases.

    A note: For IMLS data, these are the questions added/removed last year—based on the 2023 vote.

    Changes to the FY25 ARIS Questions
    Auto Renewals Added
    AU1Did your library offer automatic renewal for any physical materials during the reporting period?
    Electronic Holdings/Materials Questions Added
    Electronic Books:
    EH1Did the library provide access to e-books purchased solely by the library?
    EH2Did the library provide access to ebooks purchased via a consortium/network?
    EH3  Did the library provide access to e-books provided by the state library agency or another state agency at no or minimal cost to the administrative entity?
    Electronic Serials
    EH4Did the library provide access to e-serials purchased solely by the library?
    EH5Did the library provide access to e-serials purchased via a consortium/network?
    EH6Did the library provide access to e-serials provided by the state library agency or another state agency at no minimum cost to the administrative entity?
    Electronic Audio:
    EH7Did the library provide access to e-audio purchased solely by the library?
    EH8Did the library provide access to e-audio purchased via a consortium/network?
    EH9Did the library provide access to e-audio provided by the state library agency or another state agency at no or minimal cost to the administrative entity?
    Electronic Video:
    EH10Did the library provide access to e-video purchased solely by the library?
    EH11Did the library provide access to e-video purchased via a consortium/network?
    EH12Did the library provide access to e-video provided by the state library agency or another state agency at no or minimal cost to the administrative entity?
    Research Databases:
    EH13Did the library provide access to research databases purchased solely by the library?
    EH14Did the library provide access to research databases purchased via a consortium/network?
    EH15Did the library provide access to research databases provided by the state library agency or another state agency at no or minimal cost to the administrative entity?
    Online Learning Platforms:
    EH16Did the library provide access to online learning platforms purchased solely by the library?
    EH17Did the library provide access to online learning platforms purchased via a consortium/network?
    EH18Did the library provide access to online learning platforms provided by the state library agency or another state agency at no or minimal cost to the administrative entity?


    In the ARIS, the MBLC does include questions that are not for IMLS. They are based on local interest and need.

  • MBLC Update – August 1

    Good afternoon,

    There are two IMLS related happenings this week: The first is that the federal House budget markup has been pushed back, which means there is still time to contact legislators about IMLS funding.

    In the federal budget framework that was recently passed, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is funded at $6 million to essentially close down the agency. BUT that is not a done deal. While IMLS is part of the federal budget, Congress, not the President, determines how much funding IMLS will get.

    This article on BookRiot has valuable information about the timeline, process, and who to contact. From Book Riot article: “Contacting the members of the Labor-HHS-Education subcommittee is not inappropriate. Be frank about why you are contacting them (i.e., their role on this particular committee) and be aware that you will likely not hear a response from them as they prioritize their own constituents. But before you reach out to members of the Subcommittee, reach out to your own Representative and urge them to demand their colleagues include restoration of IMLS funding in their markup.”

    The second is reported from Education Week and seems to indicate that advocacy efforts are paying off: Senators—Including Republicans—Reject All of Trump’s Proposed Education Cuts. The article talks mainly about the Department of Education, but does mention IMLS, “The Senate version of the budget differs on nearly all the priorities Trump laid out. In addition to all the education-specific funding allocations, the bill includes funding for several programs and agencies the Trump administration has already moved to unravel, including AmeriCorps and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.”

    Thank you for your advocacy on IMLS funding. Your efforts are important and are working!

    Sincerely,

    Maureen Amyot, Director

    Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioenrs

  • 📰 July 2025 Libraries in the News

    Library News from Across the Commonwealth and the Nation*

    Have a news story you’d like to share? Please email the link to MBLC Communications Specialist June Thammasnong, thank you!

    PDF Libraries in the News – July 2025Download

    🗞️ Local News

    📄 State and Regional Sector Leaders Testify on $2.8M in Terminated NEA, NEH, and IMLS Grants – by Emily Ruddock, New England Foundation for the Arts (7/21/2025)
    BOSTON (7/16/25) – On Tuesday, July 15, 2025, the House Committee on Federal Funding, Policy and Accountability held an oversight hearing by invitation to learn how recent federal funding cuts and the proposed elimination of federal arts agencies is impacting the creative sector in Massachusetts and communities that cultural organizations serve. MASSCreative, Mass Cultural Council, Mass Humanities, New England Foundation for the Arts, New England Museum Association, and other local, state, and regional cultural organizations were invited to testify before the House Committee and their guests from the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development. 

    Link to full article from the New England Foundation for the Arts

    Link to hearing details and to view full testimonies, including testimonies from MBLC Director Maureen Amyot, American Library Association President Maria McCauley and Boston Public Library President David Leonard

    📄 FY2026 State Budget and Library Legislation – MBLC News Release (7/10/2025)
    Governor Maura Healey recently signed the $60 billion FY2026 state budget which includes $52,411,000 for libraries. The budget level funds all but two Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) budget lines: the Board of Library Commissioners Support and Outreach Services line (7000-9101) which was reduced by $21,341 and Technology and Resource Sharing line (7000-9506) which received a $3,210 increase. The full budget chart is available on the MBLC website.
    Link to full article from the MBLC

    📄 Library cuts threaten the “bridge across the digital divide”– by Sam Drysdale, State House News Service (7/16/2025)
    BOSTON (SHNS) – Summer reading programs, English language classes, online research databases used in public schools across the state, free newspaper archives, e-book access, and GRE and career prep resources are on the chopping block as a cut to federal funding is poised to hit Massachusetts libraries.

    Link to full article from State House News Service posted on 22 NEWS WWLP

    📄 Federal cuts to library services could impact research tools used mostly by students – by Phillip Bishop, New England Public Media (7/21/2025)
    Federal cuts to library service funding could disrupt key resources that could lead to struggles for students in the next school year.

    Link to full article from New England Public Media

    📄 E-books rise, budgets fall: Berkshire libraries navigate a shifting landscape – by Dylan Thompson, The Berkshire Eagle (7/28/2025)

    LANESBOROUGH — Even as public libraries face federal funding cuts, staff shortages and rising demand for digital media, Lanesborough Public Library Director Sheila Parks believes libraries are “more important than ever.”

    Link to full article from The Berkshire Eagle

    📄 FY2026 MBLC Officers Elected – MBLC News Release (7/10/2025)
    The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) elected new officers to serve for FY2026 at its Board Meeting on July 10, 2025.
    Link to full article from the MBLC

    📄 MassArt at the Library Returns – MBLC News Release(7/10/2025)
    MassArt at the Library is returning for another summer of connecting people to art through workshops at public libraries. The program, sponsored by The Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) and the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC), places MassArt faculty and student ambassadors in public libraries so that children and teens can experience the benefits of art creation, learn about the creative process, connect with MassArt faculty and students, and explore art as a possible career path.
    Link to full article from the MBLC

    📄 Chapters in chairs: ‘Lounging for Literacy II’ draws 240 to Westhampton Library – but no new world record – by Samuel Gelinas, Daily Hampshire Gazette (7/10/2025)
    WESTHAMPTON — Exactly 240 people came out with their lawn chairs on Saturday at the town’s library in hopes of being a part of a world record for the largest gathering of people reading in lawn chairs.
    Link to full article from the Daily Hampshire Gazette

    📄 Boston Bruins helping boost literacy through summer reading program – by Matt Price and Ryan Trowbridge, Western Mass News (7/22/2025)

    RUSSELL, MA (WGGB/WSHM) – While school is out, kids are still being advised to do a little summer reading and, in Russell on Tuesday, some of those young ones got a little sports surprise from Boston to get them motivated.

    Link to full article from Western Mass News

    More articles on the Blades visit to Russell Public Library:

    📄 Boston Bruins mascot, Blades, takes center ice at Hadley Library – by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette (7/23/2025)

    HADLEY — Posing for pictures, signing autographs and participating in crafts and other activities, Blades, the mascot for the Boston Bruins, and more than 20 University of Massachusetts hockey players, thrilled hockey fans of all ages at the Hadley Public Library Tuesday afternoon.

    Link to full article from Daily Hampshire Gazette

    🗞️ National News

    📄 Early Closure of House Leaves IMLS Future Hanging; What This Means & What You Can Do – by Kelly Jensen, Book Riot (7/29/2025)
    On March 14, the Trump administration announced via an Executive Order that the only federal agency dedicated to public libraries and museums, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) would be dismantled. Since that time, employees have been laid off and federal funding has been revoked and reinstated nationwide. The Trump-appointed acting director of the agency, Keith Sonderling, made clear that the purpose of the agency going forward would be state propaganda.

    Link to full article from Book Riot

    📄 Senators—Including Republicans—Reject All of Trump’s Proposed Education Cuts – by Mark Leiberman, Education Week (7/31/2025)
    Key U.S. senators from both parties on Thursday decisively rejected virtually all the Trump administration’s proposals to slash K-12 education investments—and pushed back against its efforts to shrink the Department of Education and move its functions to other agencies.

    Link to full article from Education Week

    📄 The Trump Administration is Threatening Libraries, Museums, and Other Nonprofits That Support the Arts, Humanities and Learning – by Cristin Dorgelo, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (7/7/2025)
    The Trump Administration is attacking federal support for thousands of community libraries, museums, and other nonprofits that support the arts, humanities, and learning, diminishing programs and services provided daily to families across every U.S. state and territory.

    Link to full article from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

    📄 The Trump Administration is Threatening Libraries, Museums, and Other Nonprofits That Support the Arts, Humanities and Learning – by Cristin Dorgelo, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (7/7/2025)
    The Trump Administration is attacking federal support for thousands of community libraries, museums, and other nonprofits that support the arts, humanities, and learning, diminishing programs and services provided daily to families across every U.S. state and territory.

    Link to full article from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

    📄 Large Public Libraries Give Young Adults Across U.S. Access to Banned Books– by Claire Woodcock, EdSurge (7/3/2025)
    Young adults are finding it harder to borrow books reflective of their lived experiences in their schools and public libraries. It isn’t because these stories don’t exist — they do — but because they’ve been challenged and removed, restricted, or were never purchased at all.

    Link to full article from EdSurge

    📄 Libraries Pay More for E-Books.  Some States Want to Change That. – by Erik Ofgang, The New York Times (7/16/2025)
    It’s hard to imagine a library that doesn’t carry “Fahrenheit 451.” But making Ray Bradbury’s classic novel about book burning available to libraries in an e-book format can be its own little dystopian nightmare, according to Carmi Parker, a librarian with the Whatcom County Library System in northwest Washington.

    That’s because library access to digital books and digital audiobooks — often collectively referred to as e-books — generally costs much more than the print version of these books.

    Link to full article from The New York Times

    📄 More than 90 Authors to Join the 25th Library of Congress National Book Festival – Library of Congress Press Release (7/8/2025)
    Uniting book lovers for 25 years, the Library of Congress National Book Festival will return on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. Throughout the day, attendees will hear conversations with more than 90 authors whose literary genres range from fiction to nonfiction, picture book to biography, poetry to young adult, and more.

    Link to full article from the Library of Congress Newsroom

    📄 Trump has fired the head of the Library of Congress, but the 225-year-old institution remains a ‘library for all’ – so far – by Alex H. Poole, The Conversation (7/23/2025)

    Carla Hayden, the 14th librarian of Congress, who has held the position since 2016, received an unexpected email on May 8, 2025.

    “Carla, on behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as the Librarian of Congress is terminated effective immediately. Thank you for your service,” wrote Trent Morse, deputy director of presidential personnel at the White House.

    Link to full article from The Conversation

    📄 The Internet Archive just became an official U.S. federal library – by Chase DiBenedetto, Mashable (7/25/2025)
    Internet Archive — the no-cost, nonprofit digital library that has become embroiled in the nationwide battle over copyrights and free speech — is now an official source for government documents. According to a new designation announced by California Senator Alex Padilla, the website will join a network of more than 1,000 libraries around the country tasked with archiving government documents for public view. Unlike other designated federal depository libraries, as they are known, the Archive is entirely online. 

    Link to full article from Mashable

    📄 School Librarians Share Concerns, Hopes in the New School Year – by Kara Yorio, School Library Journal (7/30/2025)

    At a Title I district in New Jersey, a high school librarian was already concerned about her students heading into the 2025–26 school year. The loss of Institute of Museum and Library Services funding meant limited or possibly no databases for research. Frozen federal funding threatened after school programs that keep kids safe, fed, and on-track academically. Then, on July 14, the Supreme Court issued a shadowdocket ruling with no explanation that allows the Trump administration to proceed with its dismantling of the Department of Education. And the librarian’s worries escalated.

    Link to full article from School Library Journal

    📄 The 10 most beautiful libraries in the world – by Kaela Ling, CNBC (7/31/2025)

    Some libraries aren’t just places to borrow books — they’re destinations with deep history and architecture that tell stories beyond the pages.

    The 1000 Libraries Awards 2025 highlights some of the most beautiful libraries and bookstores globally, according to200,000 online voters.

    Link to the full article from CNBC

    *Links provided to external (non-MBLC) news stories are done so as a convenience and for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by the MBLC. MBLC bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality, or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.