Michigan Library Users Will Be Harmed by Order to Abolish Federal Agency

LANSING – An executive order to eliminate the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services would decrease access to information and resources provided by libraries in Michigan and nationally, said leaders from the Michigan Department of Education, the Library of Michigan, and library advocates.

A recent executive order issued by the Trump Administration calls for eliminating the nation’s only federal agency for America’s libraries.

“A dismantling of the Institute of Museum and Library Services would have negative implications for every American and the library services on which they rely,” said State Superintendent Dr. Michael F. Rice. “This action would decrease access to books and other library materials and would harm residents in Michigan and across the country, especially those who live in small and rural communities.”

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the single largest source of critical federal funding for libraries and makes up a substantial portion of each state library agency’s funding.

“The Library of Michigan is committed to serving the residents of our state with effective and impactful library services,” said State Librarian Mr. Randy Riley. “It would be difficult for The Library of Michigan and all the nation's state libraries to successfully advance their missions should federal funding be eliminated.”

The Library of Michigan is receiving nearly $4.8 million in federal funds this fiscal year from the Institute for Museum and Library Services under the Museum and Library Services Act of 2018, with the funds supporting statewide initiatives and competitive grant programs for libraries. These funds are used to provide a range of services and programs to public, academic, and school libraries and librarians, as well as Michigan residents.

“Michigan’s 1,277 public, school, academic, Tribal, and special libraries are anchors for literacy, technology access, and life-long enrichment, and the mission and support of the Institute of Museum and Library Services are critical to continuing the institute’s important role in our communities,” Riley said. “Successful and impactful programs would disappear without these funds.”

In Michigan, the funds support:

• Michigan eLibrary (MeL) eContent: Statewide access to subscription magazines, newspapers, reference books, eBooks, and more on a wide range of topics for all age groups at MeL.org. In 2024, Michigan residents accessed 19.2 million trusted articles and journals through MeL.
• MeLCat Catalog: Statewide access to physical books and other items from 435 public, academic, and school libraries around the state at MeL.org. One million items were loaned throughout Michigan through MeLCat in 2024.
• Workforce Development: Statewide access to tests, tutorials, and preparation materials for K-16 students and job seekers in LearningExpress at MeL.org.
• Improved Local Community Services: Training for public, academic, and school librarians on MeL content and a wide range of library programming and community services. About 3.1 million people attended public library events in Michigan in 2024.
• Early Literacy Support: Summer reading and early literacy materials and training for public librarians to support family literacy, which supported 651,603 visits in fiscal year 2023 by children to early literacy programs in Michigan’s public libraries.
• Local History Support: Training and materials to assist libraries, museums, and historical societies in preserving their community local history.
• Technology Support: Assistance and training for public library staff to improve and increase community access to technology and access to the internet. This support is realized through 97% of public libraries offering Wi-Fi and Michigan residents making 10.7 million Wi-Fi connections at the library, as well as checking out 101,127 internet hotspots in 2024.

"Educators and students across the state of Michigan utilize the services provided through Institute of Museum and Library Services funding daily for essential resources such as tools for early literacy, reliable research databases, career exploration and test prep resources,” said Ms. Christine Beachler, president of the Michigan Association of School Librarians. “The MeL databases, in particular, are critical for helping students understand the value of research, appreciate the importance of validating sources, and make connections between different topics, all of which are necessary for building information literacy skills."

In addition to the funding received by the Library of Michigan, in 2024 the federal agency also provided $69,999 to Michigan’s Tribal libraries through the Native American Library Services Basic Grants program and $433,095 in Native American Library Services Enhancement Grants.

The Library of Michigan supports statewide initiatives and competitive grant programs for libraries with federal funds received under the Museum and Library Services Act of 2018. For further information on Library Services and Technology Act funds in Michigan, please see the fact sheet for federal fiscal Year 2023 and state fiscal year 2024 at www.michigan.gov/LSTA.

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