91´«Ã½

Libraries eligible for billions in supplemental funding

WASHINGTON – Libraries are eligible for billions of dollars in recovery funding as part of the $1.9 trillion passed by Congress on Wednesday, March 10, 2021. The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) received $200 million, the largest single increase in the agency’s 25-year history. The package also provides billions of dollars in academic, public and school library-eligible programs, including the Emergency Education Connectivity Fund through the federal E-rate program.

91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½) President Julius C. Jefferson, Jr., praised the bill. “Libraries are a lifeline for millions of people, and the people who know that best are those who need this rescue package most. Because libraries stepped up, people without home broadband have been able to keep their jobs, students and teachers have continued to learn in a remote context, and seniors and other vulnerable people have safely connected with doctors and maintained contact with loved ones. Now libraries are also helping people register for the vaccine and even serving as temporary clinics.

“The pandemic has exposed the level to which Americans rely on libraries to access the internet and learn to navigate it, find jobs and gain new skills, learn to read and identify what information to trust, and become actively engaged in their communities. At the same time, COVID-19 has forced many states and local governments to implement cuts and furloughs that threaten the very services that communities are relying on for relief.

“91´«Ã½ has been working tirelessly behind the scenes for months to secure federal support for libraries and librarians. Transformative library services rely on the library workers who offer them,” said Jefferson. “In many cases, ARPA means libraries won’t have to choose between funding community programs and paying salaries of the professional staff who lead them.”

Of the $200 million for IMLS, $178 million is allocated for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and will go to state library administrative agencies on a population-based formula, with a $2 million state minimum. State libraries will distribute ARPA funding to local libraries according to state priorities, to maintain and enhance library operations and services, including:

• offering greater access to technology, including through expanding digital networks and connectivity, purchasing hotspots, computers and digital content;
• establishing mobile digital labs;
• enhancing workforce development and jobseeker programing; and
• ensuring training and technical support for libraries, including to assist with the safe handling of materials.

“Investments in these critical services require political will. At the federal level, no one has demonstrated support for libraries more than Senator Jack Reed (D-RI),” said Jefferson. “Thanks to Sen. Reed, libraries that have rescued Americans during the pandemic can expand services to help communities recover.”

In addition to IMLS funding, ARPA also includes $7.172 billion for an Emergency Education Connectivity Fund through the Federal Communications Commission’s E-rate program. Participating libraries will receive 100 percent reimbursement for the cost of hotspots and other Wi-Fi capable devices, modems, routers, laptops, tablets and similar devices to loan to patrons. 91´«Ã½ will provide input during the rulemaking process for the new program, which must be developed by the FCC within 60 days of the bill’s passage.

The rescue legislation provides to meet critical needs, including:

• more than $360 billion to state, local and tribal community governments to offset potential cuts to public health, safety, and education programs
• $130 billion for education costs associated with the safe reopening of K-12 schools; hiring additional staff; reducing class size; modifying school spaces; and addressing student, academic, and mental health needs
• $40 billion for colleges and institutions of higher education to defray pandemic-related expenses and provide emergency assistance to students, with half the funding dedicated to student financial aid
• $135 million each for National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities to support state and regional arts and humanities agencies. Forty percent of this funding is designated for grants and administration for state arts and humanities agencies, while forty percent will go for direct grants eligible to libraries.

91´«Ã½ will explore opportunities for libraries of all kinds to leverage these resources and partner with other community organizations eligible for funding to meet common goals for communities. Updates will be posted on .

President Biden is expected to sign the legislation before March 14, when current relief benefits expire.