March 2025
Dear Gafney Community,
A Presidential Executive Order signed last week calls for the downsizing or elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the nation’s only federal agency for funding American library services. We want to let you know how this may impact you. The federal funds distributed by IMLS finance the New Hampshire Inter-Library Loan (ILL) system.
In 2024, our library borrowed and lent 1,357 items transported by van, saving our town more than $5,000 in postal delivery charges. Small rural libraries like ours depend on ILL to help provide you with the books you want to read beyond what we have in our collection. Congressionally approved funds distributed by IMLS to the New Hampshire State Library are used to provide access to e-books, audiobooks, and e- magazines, as well as staffing for Talking Books for the Blind and Physically Handicapped program. In 2024, Gafney Library patrons checked out 3,702 e-books, 4,166 audiobooks, and 1,094 e-magazines via the Libby app.
Without federal funding, these services may be in jeopardy. We want to provide you with the books and resources you need. Without IMLS these programs are at significant risk. If you are concerned about the potential impact of the downsizing or loss of IMLS and the funding it distributes to libraries like ours, we encourage you to reach out to our elected officials to voice your concerns. A link to the executive order and to our elected officials can be found on the New Hampshire Library Trustees Association.
Sincerely,
Gafney Library Director, Amy Swanson
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