SLC Times

The American Library Association (ALA) welcomed substantial increases in federal funding for libraries passed by Congress today as part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Omnibus Appropriations bill. President Biden is expected to sign the bill into law in the coming hours. The Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, saw an increase of $13.5 million, raising the program to $211 million as the leading source of federal funding for America’s libraries.  In addition, the Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL), a program designed to support school library literacy initiatives nationwide, saw a $1 million increase, bringing total funding to $30 million for the Department of Education program.   

ALA President Lessa Kanani’opua Pelayo-Lozada said, “The American Library Association is proud to see continued strong support for libraries and library funding at the highest levels of government. Members of Congress understand that investing in libraries means investing in communities – the significant library funding measures in this budget reflect that.” 

“Across the country, libraries are delivering for their patrons, providing vital access to information and services that help them thrive and succeed. Increased funding will sustain and expand these efforts, and ALA applauds Congress for recognizing the many ways libraries are empowering and uplifting their communities, whether through digital skills workshops, literacy programs, or even career-training.” 

“ALA advocates and library workers from across the country helped lead the way for this success, reminding their federal elected officials of the importance of fully funded libraries. Thank you to every advocate who made their voice heard,” said President Pelayo-Lozada. 

The Omnibus Appropriations bill provides increases for several programs benefitting libraries and library patrons: 

• IMLS +$26.8 million 

• LSTA +$13.5 million

• LSTA Grant to States +$11.2 million 

• LSTA Native American and Native Hawaiian Library Services +$0.5 million 

• Innovative Approaches to Literacy +$1 million 

The #FundLibraries campaign is ALA’s annual advocacy campaign for robust federal funding for libraries. The FY 2024 campaign will begin next year with the start of the appropriations process. Information about ALA’s #FundLibraries campaigns is available at ala.org/advocacy/library-funding. 

Original source can be found here.