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Time of India
18-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Why can't you borrow that e-book anymore? Trump's order hits US libraries hard
Libraries across the United States are slashing staff, suspending interlibrary loan programs, and cutting access to e-books and audiobooks after the Trump administration abruptly suspended millions of dollars in federal grants by moving to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The executive order, signed by President Donald Trump on March 14, seeks to dissolve the IMLS and led to the dismissal of nearly all of its staff. The move has had an immediate and far-reaching impact, forcing state libraries to reassess their budgets and halt key services. While federal judges have issued temporary orders to block the dismantling of the agency, the suspension of funding has already taken a toll. Maine laid off a fifth of its library staff and temporarily closed its state library after the federal funds failed to arrive. Mississippi's libraries suspended the Hoopla e-book service, and South Dakota has paused its statewide interlibrary loan program. 'It came as quite a surprise to all of us,' said Spencer Davis, a library generalist at the Maine State Library and one of eight employees laid off on May 8. Davis's job was funded through an IMLS grant. The grants are typically funneled through state libraries to support summer reading programs, digital lending services , and book-sharing networks between libraries—resources particularly crucial in rural communities that lack large local budgets. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Term plan with 99.17% Claim Settlement Ratio for FY24! ICICI Pru Life Insurance Plan Get Quote Undo 'I think everyone should know the cost of providing digital sources is too expensive for most libraries," said Cindy Hohl, president of the American Library Association. 'It's a continuous and growing need.' In Mississippi, the funding shortfall has directly affected readers in places like Lowndes and DeSoto counties. 'People have been calling and asking, 'Why can't I access my books on Hoopla?'' said Erin Busbea, library director of the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library System. 'For most libraries that were using federal dollars, they had to curtail those activities," added Hulen Bivins, executive director of the Mississippi Library Commission. California, Washington, and Connecticut were the only states formally notified that their remaining funding for the year had been canceled. All three states have filed objections with the agency. 'We are mystified,' said Rebecca Wendt, California's state librarian. 'The small library systems are not able to pay for the e-books themselves.' The impact is being felt nationally. In 2023, more than 660 million people borrowed e-books, audiobooks, and digital magazines globally—up 19% from the previous year, according to OverDrive, the main distributor of digital content for libraries. The freeze also puts on hold other federal initiatives supported by the IMLS, including the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program, aimed at training a diverse generation of library professionals. Attorneys general from 21 states and the American Library Association have filed lawsuits against the Trump administration, aiming to prevent the full dismantling of the agency. Still, uncertainty prevails. 'Library funding is never robust. It's always a point of discussion. It's always something you need to advocate for,' said Liz Doucett, library director at Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick, Maine. 'It's adding to just general anxiety.' The IMLS, created in 1996 by a Republican-led Congress, distributes less than $150 million annually to state libraries. Its sudden defunding has left many institutions scrambling for answers—and for dollars.
Time of India
23-04-2025
- General
- Time of India
Madurai goes green: bamboo bins debut at meenakshi temple for chithirai festival
In a refreshing blend of tradition and sustainability, the Madurai Corporation has introduced an eco-conscious garbage management solution around the Meenakshi Amman Temple for this year's Chithirai festival . Brightly painted bamboo baskets are tied to electric and lamp posts along the four streets leading to the temple. Implemented just a day ago, the initiative has already begun receiving praise from devotees, traders, and residents. Instead of relying solely on fixed garbage bins at the ends of the streets, these elevated bamboo baskets, placed every 10 metres, provide a convenient way to dispose of waste right where the crowd gathers. The aim is to make waste disposal easier for the lakhs of visitors thronging the temple streets during the festive days. "We wanted to reduce foot traffic toward distant dustbins and encourage devotees to keep the temple surroundings clean," says a corporation official. "We are piloting this initiative on the four Chithirai streets until the festival concludes next week." The idea was to blend utility with culture, and bamboo, being a natural and biodegradable material, fits perfectly. About 40 baskets, painted in bright, festive colours, are tied to posts at regular intervals. "We've placed them four feet above the ground so they are out of reach for animals," says the official. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 35 & Earning? Protect Your Family with ₹1 Cr Life Cover ICICI Pru Life Insurance Plan Get Quote Undo M Karthick, a civic activist from Sellur, says the Chithirai festival often leaves the temple precincts littered with paper cups, plastic wrappers, and food waste. "In recent years, the corporation tried various methods such as three shifts of cleaning to tackle this," says Karthick. "But this year's bamboo basket initiative stands out, not just for its utility, but also for its aesthetics. Public awareness remains low. People don't realise they can use these baskets. The corporation should install boards to guide them." N Murugan, a flower vendor near East Tower Street, says earlier customers would throw things down and walk away. "Now they drop waste into these baskets. It's much neater," he says. Sanitation workers have also found the process more efficient. "We can just walk along the route and empty these baskets quickly," says a morning shift worker. "It's easier than collecting litter scattered across the streets." Though the initiative is currently limited to the temple's immediate surroundings, civic officials say similar eco-friendly practices could be extended to other crowded areas during festivals and market days.
