Golden Triangle libraries are raising concerns about the defunding of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a small independent federal agency that provides resources and funding to museums and libraries across the country.
These concerns come after the White House released the proposed budget for the 2026 fiscal year, which calls for the elimination of federal funding for IMLS, along with 15 other small agencies.
The budget requests $6 million to “carry out the closure” of IMLS, compared to the $313 million of funding given to the agency in 2025.
Golden Triangle libraries receive between $7,000 and $14,000 in funding each year through IMLS funding. Starkville-Oktibbeha County Public Library System Director Phillip Carter said the proposed budget cut presents a serious threat to the institute.
“It’s difficult to predict the likelihood of these cuts – we’re in an unprecedented moment regarding legislative support for IMLS,” Carter said. “While there have been past threats to its funding, IMLS ultimately prevailed. However, today’s climate presents a different and more serious challenge.”
IMLS distributes about $2.1 million to the Mississippi Library Commission in Jackson through the Grants to States program. MLC then administers these funds to individual library systems as Library Services and Technology Act grants.
These grants fund programs such as the digital library service Hoopla, a streaming service for audiobooks and ebooks and the state’s interlibrary loan system.
Carter said if IMLS were to be defunded and shut down, local libraries are likely to permanently lose access to these services.
These grants also fund staff training, databases for research, digital archives, libraries’ Autism Resource Centers and more.
Columbus-Lowndes Public Library System Director Erin Busbea said the loss of these resources would be devastating to those who use them.
“It would be such a huge loss for the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library System and our community if we lose IMLS funding,” Busbea said. “… These are things folks really rely on not just in Lowndes County but also across the entire state.”
Jennifer Lena, executive director for the Mississippi Library Commission, said the only way to prevent these losses is for Congress to push back against the proposed budget.
“There’s been many times before where many federal entities continued to exist and run their programs, even when a budget wasn’t passed,” Lena said. “… It all depends on the support of the congressmen who stand up and say, ‘No. It’s not right. They need to be funded.’”
‘A different ball game’
Earlier this year, local libraries saw the temporary loss of Hoopla after IMLS funding was paused March 14 when President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling to eliminate IMLS along with six other small agencies “to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law” within seven days of the order’s signing.
Multiple national media outlets reported that the entire IMLS staff of about 70 employees was placed on administrative leave later that month following a “brief meeting between Department of Government Efficiency staff and IMLS leadership.”
Since then, lawsuits have been filed in several states against the administration’s shuttering of the agency. Lena said since these lawsuits have been filed, some workers have returned to IMLS.
Lena said MLC received 50% of its funding through the Grants to States Program in May and has begun to receive the remaining funds since workers returned.
Lena said the Grants to States Program is statutory, meaning it would take an act of Congress to eliminate those funds. However, the program’s statutory authorization expires in September.
“It has run before in previous years, even when it has expired,” Lena said. “But at those times, there was not an administration pushing for closure of the agency. … It’s a different ball game.”
Priscilla Ivy, head librarian at Bryan Public Library in West Point, which headquarters the Tombigbee system, said that while the future of public libraries is uncertain, library patrons can spark change.
“I think we’re all just in a sit-and-wait-and-see situation right now,” Ivy said. “I know that communities here in West Point, Columbus, Starkville, we depend on these services. Libraries are so needed for every community. … Until something is challenged, you don’t know how much you need it. We’ve never been challenged in this way.
“ … I want to encourage people to keep calling their congressmen and women and let them know you want your public libraries to stay active in your community, and tell them how much it means to you,” she added.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 40 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 40 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
