Kate Shaw | Montgomery County Pennsylvania Library District

This update comes from the Pennsylvania Library Association:

$5.9 million comes to PA from the Institute of Museum & Library Services (IMLS), an independent federal agency (not within the Department of Education), in the Grants to States program that is from the Library Services & Technology Act (LSTA). That money is sent to the Office of Commonwealth Libraries (OCL) within the PA Department of Education. About $2 million is used to support 19 staff positions that staff the State Library and positions that support the library field in multiple ways. Roughly $700k is for non-grant projects, and $3.1 million is distributed by OCL through grants for various statewide services and programs. You can go here for more details, and click on the federal funding tab for a useful pie chart: https://pa-gov.libguides.com/BLD

The Pennsylvania Library Association DOES receive some of this grant money from OCL in 3 programs: College & Research Division (CRD) professional development support funds, $16k; PA Forward® literacy program support, $107k; and $97k for PA Library Association Academy of Leadership Studies (PALS) programs such as Directors’ Institute and Leadership Academy. While we certainly want to maintain grant support for these programs, we may need to adjust elements in the future, but will certainly continue these important programs.

So, what does all of this mean?

Advocacy for library funding is important – every year, and all year long. We do need to be strategic and intentional, and work with unified, collective efforts.
The bigger funding is actually the public library subsidy which is in our state budget – $70.47 million. We are asking for $6.2 million more this year AND we need you to ask your state level LEGISLATORS in PA to support this! This is not intended for general public postings. Look at our ASK document and details here: $6.2 million more = $1.55 per card holder increase

Look up state level legislators here

While federal funding doesn’t go directly to most libraries in PA, IMLS advocacy is also needed, and the American Library Association (ALA) has the most thorough information and resources.