Tell Congress Not to Defund Libraries!

Please see the below for information about the potential defunding of libraries across the country. You will also find how to contact your local federal representatives to advocate for library funding.

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The Tell Congress Not to Defund Libraries! campaign intends to remind our representatives on both sides of the aisle in the US Senate and House how important libraries are to the residents of Suffolk County, that IMLS funding directly impacts the NYS Library, and how the loss of funding at the state level will affect our shared services, requiring more local investment.

• The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is an independent agency of the United States federal government. It is the main source of federal support for libraries and museums within the United States. The mission of the IMLS is to "advance, support, and empower America's museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development."
• IMLS supports and funds many of the crucial community services libraries provide; things like e-books, summer reading, cultural programming, technology, job and career resources, and funding of critical library infrastructure projects all are supported by these Federal funds. Cuts would put all of these services at risk.
• Eliminating the Federal IMLS and defunding libraries would have a lasting negative impact on our communities and force libraries in Suffolk County to address service cuts.
• While only representing 0.003% of the Federal budget, the IMLS has an outsized impact on libraries across the United States. New York State alone receives over $8 million in funding from IMLS which comes to Suffolk County’s libraries through State aid, construction funding, technology support, compliance assistance, and through many important initiatives that assist library users all across Suffolk County.
• New York State alone receives approximately $8 million in funding from IMLS. Should that funding be revoked, critical services like access to State Aid, construction support, governance oversight, and important technologies that help power our libraries could be at risk.

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To find/contact your federal representative please click the link below!

• https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member

You can write your own letter to your representative, but if you are having trouble you may find the sample letter provided below to be helpful too.

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Dear [NAME]:

I am writing as one of the over 800,000 Suffolk County residents who utilize the services of Suffolk County’s public libraries to ask you to ensure funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is continued undisrupted.

Last year Suffolk residents like me visited our public libraries more than 6.6 million times and over 1.5 million Suffolk residents attended a program at their local library. Libraries continue to thrive as community centers and as social support organizations connecting people to a wide variety of resources that meet many needs. Defunding the IMLS could have serious consequences for our libraries here in Suffolk County. New York State receives approximately $8.1 million in IMLS funding to support statewide initiatives and services that benefit Suffolk libraries and the communities they serve.

We ask that you NOT defund libraries so they can continue providing vital services to their communities.

While only representing 0.003% of the federal budget, the IMLS has an outsized impact on library and museum services across the United States. Thanks in part to IMLS funding, libraries are able to provide services to patrons that allow them to advance their education, access media, find employment, engage in professional development, and become active in their community in a welcoming and safe environment.

If Congress does not adequately fund IMLS, we risk jeopardizing Suffolk County libraries’ ability to meet the needs of their communities and advance educational and economic opportunity for all Suffolk County residents.

Your support for funding the Institute of Museum and Library Services translates to support for local libraries and support for the needs of your constituents.

Sincerely,

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