Take Action

(Adapted from ALA 3/26/26)

Thanks to library advocates like you, library champions in the House of Representatives were able to EXCEED the number of signatures they got on the LSTA letter last year! 

Now, the Senate’s up: The two equivalent “Dear Appropriator” letters for library funding, led by Senator Jack Reed (RI), started circulating today! Urge your Senators to add their signatures to these letters by April 17!

As you may know, “Dear Appropriator” letters are the first stage where the public can get involved in the federal budget process. It’s time for us to demonstrate equal or even stronger support for federal library funding in the Senate.

Here’s what these two letters cover: One letter asks for robust funding for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the second letter supports the Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL) program within the Department of Education. LSTA supports library programs in local communities nationwide, such as services for veterans and older adults, jobseeker resources, workforce development programs, internet access, early childhood programs, and much more. IAL gives high-needs school libraries across the country resources to help ease the child literacy crisis, which has continued to worsen since the pandemic.

If either program were eliminated, communities across America would lose significant library services. Because both letters cover quite different aspects of library funding, it’s important that Senators sign by the April 17 due date.

President Trump’s budget has yet to be released, but we still expect it to include cuts to library programs and agencies that provide vital services. We need your help reminding your Senators that their constituents highly value library programs. 

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