DPI and WLA IMLS Funding Update

 

IMLS Funding Update   (An update from Ben Miller, Director of Library Services, DPI) Hello again Wisconsin Library Friends! I want to provide you with an update on the status of federal funding for Wisconsin library services through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Grants to States program administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. On April 23, IMLS awarded the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction partial LSTA 2025 Grants to States funding. The partial award is for $1.6 million, roughly half of what IMLS granted to the DPI in 2024.  In their message, IMLS indicated plans for increasing the amount to a full award “subject to the availability of funds, IMLS discretion, and other actions.” At this time, the DPI has not received a final allotment table indicating the amount of funding Wisconsin will receive. This is not the typical fashion in which these funds are granted to states, but receiving a partial award provides some stability and relief in the short term. At this time, based on the uncertainty surrounding the amount and timing of future LSTA funds, Library Services is not planning to open grant subawards to library systems in Wisconsin in July as is typical. In order to continue to provide Wisconsin libraries state-wide service, the DPI will prioritize the Library Services salaries and the tools necessary to do their jobs with this partial allotment. The team will reassess the viability of providing subawards once more is known about the future of IMLS and LSTA funding. As this situation continues to evolve, I will provide updates to the field when conditions change. Please reach out if you have specific questions or concerns, my virtual door is open to you all. I want to personally thank the library community for sharing your stories, working with elected officials, and remaining steadfast in the incredible services you provide every day. You are the reason we do what we do. Keep being loud and proud about the meaningful work happening in your libraries and communities. Together we can do great things!  Ben Miller (he/him/his) Director of Library Services Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Jeni Schomber Contact: jeni.schomber@dpi.wi.gov

From WLA:

Greetings, WLA Members

 

The Association continues to monitor the impact of the federal Executive Order involving the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) in close communication with our state and national partners.  At the same time, we also continue to play a prominent role in advocating for funding for public libraries in the 2025-2027 state biennial budget.  We'd like to share a few updates.

 

• LSTA Grants to States Program - Our colleagues at the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) have been keeping us informed about the status of the IMLS Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Grants to States program.  Last week, the IMLS awarded the DPI partial LSTA 2025 Grants to States funding.   Read more.
  
  
• The Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA) has created a webpage with information about IMLS grant cancellations:  IMLS Grant Cancellations
  
  
• Campaign to Reauthorize Funding for FY26 - The ALA has launched a "Dear Appropriator" letter campaign for FY26 federal funding to help ensure funds for the LSTA and IAL (Innovative Approaches to Literacy) programs are appropriated in the 2026 federal budget.  According to the ALA, one way that Congress prioritizes funding for the next fiscal year is by how many bipartisan signatures are on the Dear Appropriator letters for a particular program.  They have requested each state chapter, including WLA, help by reaching out to their US House Delegation to sign these letters.   The House campaign is now underway with WLA's participation, and the Senate campaign will start in a few more weeks. 

 

Resources & Things You Can Do

While we still are not sure what all of this may mean for federal funding of libraries nationally or in Wisconsin, here are some resources and suggestions for things you can do: 

• The public library systems and their marketing staff have collaborated on a website to share resources.  Speak Up For Wisconsin Libraries 
• DPI Infographic - LSTA Funding:  Where the Money Goes

• Video Testimonials - The DPI is looking to humanize the impact of federal funding on our public libraries by compiling and sharing short video "testimonials.” Click here for more information. 

• Email your library stories to your federal elected officials. Click here for more information and links to online congressional office portals to share your unique, personalized messages.  

• DPI webpage - Tracking Federal Funding: The Effect on Wisconsin
  
  

State Biennial Budget Process 2025-2027

Given the uncertainty surrounding federal funding, our work to support state funding for public libraries is perhaps more important now than ever before. WLA is advocating for several items in the proposed 2025-2027 state budget. For more background on the 2025-2027 biennial budget process, please click here.

• In January, the WLA Library Development Legislation (LD&L) Committee budget team met with legislative leaders and each member of the Joint Finance Committee (JFC), the committee that reviews all state appropriations and revenues. 

• In February, a record number of attendees at the WLA Library Legislative Day shared stories and reinforced the importance of our state budget priorities.

• This week will mark the conclusion of the four public budget hearings with the JFC taking place around the state. A big thank you to those WLA volunteers who have shared compelling testimonials and, by virtue of sheer numbers, visually demonstrated strong support for public libraries.  Links to event photos and videos of testimonies are here. 

 

We will continue to share legislative updates as information becomes available. If you have questions, our contact information is below. 

 

 Thank you for your support of Wisconsin's libraries.

Katharine Clark, WLA President (kclark@midlibrary.org)

Peter Loeffel, LD&L Chair (ploeffel@wauwatosalibrary.org)

Call for Your Youth Services Stories

At the YSS Board meeting on Friday, March 21, WLA Executive Director Laura Salser encouraged us to be strong advocates: "Youth Services Librarians always have wonderful stories, so I encourage you to share them now." In that spirit, we re-share the original letter from our WLA President Kathrine Clark and Library Development and Legislation Chair Peter Loeffel on the current situation at IMLS and how you can help by telling stories of how youth services have a positive impact in your community.

March 18, 2025

Greetings, WLA Members

Late last week, President Trump signed an Executive Order involving the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and other federal agencies. Original White House Executive Order

There are still unanswered questions about this order and its potential impact on federal funding for libraries nationally as well as here closer to home.

While we wait for the IMLS to release its plan of compliance with the order, WLA leadership and its Library Development & Legislation (LD&L) Committee are communicating with our partners at the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, leaders within the 15 public library systems around the state, other state library associations, and the American Library Association. We will share more information as it becomes available to us.

What can you do now? A very positive thing you can do is to share a story with your federal elected officials about how Wisconsin libraries have a positive impact in your community. If possible, the story should illustrate libraries' support for literacy, school success, employment and workforce development, disaster recovery, services for veterans, etc. Let your elected officials know that federal funding helps libraries deliver essential services and ask them to protect funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Unique personalized communications using the online congressional office portals linked below will have a much greater impact than auto-signed petitions and identical pre-written statements. Your approach should be reflective of WLA's ongoing thoughtful, politically neutral legislative advocacy campaign supporting state library aid in the 2025-27 budget.

Wisconsin U.S. Senators
Senator Ron Johnson
Senator Tammy Baldwin

Wisconsin Congressional Delegation (Find your representative)
1st District - Bryan Steil
2nd District - Mark Pocan
3rd District - Derrick Van Orden
4th District - Gwen Moore
5th District - Scott Fitzgerald
6th District - Glenn Grothman
7th District - Thomas Tiffany
8th District - Tony Wied

If you have questions, please contact WLA Executive Director Laura Sauser at sauser@wisconsinlibraries.org.

Thank you for your support of Wisconsin's libraries.

Katharine Clark
WLA President

Peter Loeffel
LD&L Chair

Stepping Up to the Plate - in Less Than Three Minutes!

Everyday Advocacy is something all youth librarians should be doing everyday in our community.

But we also can step up to the plate and let our voices be heard on the national level in support of libraries. Senate bill S.3391 would reauthorize the Museum and Library Services Act which supports the Institute of Museum and Library Services and millions of dollars of federal funding that libraries and museums receive. These grants, administered by DPI in WI, fund library projects big and small around the country

Stop here for easy steps in how you can contact your senator now and support this vital bill!

Save WiscNet: Call Your Legislators This Week!

Save WiscNet: Internet for Higher Ed, Libraries & K-12 Schools Under Attack

Take Action!
Ask your legislators to reverse Joint Finance decision

Please call your legislators this week to urge them to restore WiscNet and retain cost-effective Internet service for institutions of higher education, K-12 schools and public libraries.

On Friday, June 3, the state legislature's Joint Committee on Finance passed Motion 489 that contained a provision (among many others) that would eliminate WiscNet as a department or office within the UW-Madison Department of Information Technology and eliminate $1.4 million in funding for WiscNet for 2012-13. Thus, all public institutions of higher education, 95% of public libraries and 80% of schools now receiving Internet services through WiscNet would be forced to seek these services from private telecommunications providers.

Almost all schools and libraries will pay more to private providers; the average cost is estimated to be three to five times higher than the current costs through WiscNet. But the cost is much greater than just dollars. The successful cooperative and collaborative network that WiscNet has fostered between higher education, K-12 education and libraries for the past 16 years will disappear. See the WiscNet website for more information.

Call your state senator and state representative and tell them this means libraries and schools in their districts will no longer be able to afford the Internet access that student and patrons want and need. Ask that sections 23-26 of Motion 489 be deleted on the floor of the legislature before the budget bill is approved and is sent to Governor Walker for his signature.