Official Statement from Palatine Library District on IMLS Funding News

The President of the United States has signed an Executive Order to eliminate the Institute of Museum & Library Services (IMLS), the primary source of federal funding for libraries. IMLS provides essential support to libraries, and this decision will devastate libraries across the country, especially those in underserved communities. 

IMLS is a model federal agency that maximizes every dollar of its modest budget to deliver exceptional value and meaningful impact for Americans in communities nationwide. With just 0.003% of the federal budget, IMLS funding helps libraries across the country provide programs and services that support more than 1.2 billion in-person library visits annually, plus countless additional virtual visits. 

The Illinois State Library received about 10% of its funding from IMLS in FY2024, equaling $5.7 million. The Illinois Library Association (ILA) has released a comprehensive breakdown of how funding was used.

Palatine Library District is part of the system Reaching Across Illinois Libraries (RAILS). RAILS receives their funding from the Illinois State Library and the Secretary of State. It connects libraries across the state to one another and provides a multitude of services including delivering materials between libraries for inter-library loan services. Thus, Palatine Library could feel a direct negative impact of this Executive Order if it moves forward.

We are a local government entity with local authority. We are governed by a supportive Board of Trustees who are all residents of our community. We will continue to serve you and move forward with our FY2024-26 strategic plan.

While we receive 95% of our funding from local taxes, this Executive Order would be particularly detrimental to underserved communities, and library services in many states (especially large rural states) that heavily rely on funding from IMLS. 

We encourage you to learn more about these developments and take action through the following ways: 

Contact Your Representatives 

• The American Library Association has a Show Up for Our Libraries campaign which includes tools for advocacy, opportunities to share impactful library services, and ways to take action. One of those ways is through their One Click tool which directly connects you to legislators. 

Stay Informed

• Learn about IMLS and the importance of their funding for other library services. Read this RAILS report, Illinois Libraries: Agencies of Impact. 

As we move forward and face the impacts of these changes, we encourage you to support libraries by taking action and making sure your voice is heard. Every little bit helps, and doing something as simple as sharing this information with a neighbor or thanking a library worker has an impact. 

Debby Brauer 
Board President
Palatine Library District Board of Trustees 

Melissa Gardner
Executive Director
Palatine Library District