Letter from the VT State Librarian regarding cuts to the federal budget

Here is a recent letter from the Vermont State Librarian, Catherine Delneo, published in the Department of Libraries' April newsletter addressing the current situation in VT as relates to the federal cuts in the Institute for Museum and Library Services. Updates to come. To stay up-to-date about library matters, please subscribe to the Department of Libraries' newsletter and to ABLE Library’s quarterly newsletter.

An Update from State Librarian and Commissioner of Libraries, Catherine Delneo  
Dear Library Friends,

The Vermont Department of Libraries receives roughly 2/3 of its operating budget from the State of Vermont and roughly 1/3 of its funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the IMLS’ Library Service Technology Act Grants to States Program

The Department uses its Grants to States allocation to strengthen library services across the state and to support shared resources that all Vermonters can access directly or through their public libraries, in accordance with its current 5-Year Plan.

Vermont’s 2024 Grants to States allocation of $1.24M is used to support the following services and programs provided by the Department:

Access to reliable information through the Vermont Online Library and research databases, the Palace Project App, and the collections of the State Library, ABLE Library, and institutional libraries;
Statewide Interlibrary Loan infrastructure, which supports robust resource sharing between libraries in the state and expands their collections;
Shared cultural resources through library programming, author residencies, and state book awards; and
Training and workforce support for libraries, directors, and trustees including online classes and the Vermont Certificate of Librarianship program, direct consultation to library staff and trustees, and regional and topical roundtables to promote excellence in library service.
On March 14, 2025, the federal administration issued an executive order titled Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy. This executive order calls for significant cuts to the “the non-statutory components and functions” of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Consequently, the past few weeks have been a time of uncertainty for many of us in the Vermont library community. 

We are deeply saddened that many of the dedicated colleagues who supported libraries at IMLS have lost their jobs. We are also saddened to know that a number of libraries, museums, and cultural organizations around the country have received letters from IMLS terminating individual grant awards and we recognize the challenges these cuts pose for continued service.

However, nearly one month after the executive order was signed, the federal administration has still not provided information to the Department so that we can determine what specific impacts this executive order will have on our annual Grants to States Allotment, if any.  

Over the past month, the attention upon this issue all around our state reflects that Vermonters value libraries and museums greatly. We have heard an outpouring of support and concern from library lovers, colleagues in the museum and arts world, library staff and trustees, our congressional delegation, the Vermont Library Association, and the Vermont School Library Association. Yesterday, Department staff joined our colleagues from the Vermont Historical Society in the Card Room at the State House to provide legislators with information about the importance of IMLS funding to all libraries in our state. The House adopted a concurrent resolution designating April 10, 2025, as Museums and Libraries Day at the State House. 

The Department is currently administering two other federal programs to support public libraries in achieving capital improvements. We continue to support the 14 subrecipients of our U.S. Department of Treasury Capital Projects Fund for Libraries and have already disbursed $2.3M to public libraries through this program. The Department still plans to launch its second capital projects grant opportunity later this calendar year. Through the  U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Public Facilities Preservation Initiative Grants for Small, Rural Public Libraries, the Department will provide capital project subgrants of up to $499,999 to public libraries in Vermont serving rural communities. All public libraries in Vermont will be eligible to apply for the funding, and preference will be given to small libraries located in rural communities. 

We affirm the Vermont Department of Libraries’ commitment to continuing to provide services, training, and support to keep our Vermont’s libraries strong. We know library staff and trustees around the state share our goal of providing vital and necessary library services in their communities well into the future, and we are here to support you in that important work.