22-03-2025
Decision to hobble federal library support agency will have impact on state libraries
FAIRMONT — Thanks to taxpayers, Marion County will be spared most negative impact from the loss of a federal agency dedicated to supporting libraries.
However, the same won't be true at other libraries across the state.
President Donald Trump ordered on March 14 the elimination of several more federal agencies, such as the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund and Institute of Museum and Library Services. The IMLS provides funding and support to libraries across all 50 states.
'Statewide, this is going to have a big effect on some libraries, especially smaller libraries,' Larissa Cason, director of the Marion County Public Libary System, said. Cason is also president of the West Virginia Library Association. 'There are some libraries where these monies pay for their internet access. So that could devastating to lose funding for internet acces and then having to privately source or pay for that.'
The American Library Association said in a press release IMLS has 75 workers and funds 125,000 public, school, academic and special libraries across the country. It's funding in 2024 was $266.7 million, or 0.003% of the federal budget.
'Americans have loved and relied on public, school and academic libraries for generations,' the ALA wrote. 'By eliminating the only federal agency dedicated to funding library services, the Trump administration's executive order is cutting off at the knees the most beloved and trusted of American institutions and the staff and services they offer.'
Congress approved funding for IMLS in the March 14 Continuing Resolution to keep the government open. While Trump's order doesn't remove the IMLS in its entirety, since it would take an act of Congress, it does call for the functions of the agency to be elimated to the maximum extent of the law. The Trump Administration cast the order under its drive to reduce 'the scope of the Federal Bureaucracy.'
The American Alliance of Museums charge that Trump's order would gut the IMLS within seven days.
Thanks to the levy, Cason said most of the services the Marion County Library provides won't be affected drastically. However, some services will feel an impact. The library provides a lot of electronic resources through its website, such as access to the WV Info Depot. The depot provides access to services like which provides one-on-one tutoring, test prep and job search assistance. Marion County residents can access National Geographic Kids, World Book online and other research databases at no cost through the services IMLS provides to Marion County. There are 17 different services in total that the library provides thanks to IMLS funding.
Taxpayers provide $1.3 million in levy funds for the services the library provides, with the state only providing $295,000. The library also gets money fom the Marion County Board of Education and City of Fairmont.
Statewide, West Virginia receives $1.6 million per year from IMLS, which passes through the West Virginia Library Commission to local libraries. IMLS funding also provides reimbursement for the software patrons use to check books out. Internet costs are also a large expense for libaries. While thanks to taxpayers, Marion County Libraries can float its own internet bill, other libraries in the state aren't as lucky. They rely on IMLS funding, Cason said.
Donna Calvert, Library Section Director of the West Virginia Library Commission, directed all queries to Ennis Smith, Acting Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History. Smith did not return a request for comment by press time. Cason said the state is moving libraries under the tourism department. Smith lists director of destination development for the West Virginia Department of Tourism on her LinkedIn.
'I have strong feelings about that personally, but I'm not in a position to speak,' Calvert said, referring to the elimination of IMLS. 'I am not authorized to speak for the agency. It will have an impact.'
Cason said she is glad Marion County taxpayers believe in supporting its library. She said President Trump tried to do something similar in 2017, so the latest move against IMLS was not unexpected. She said they will now have to get a jump on educating people about IMLS and getting residents to reach out to Congress to protect the agency and its funding.
'I will say we're extraordinarily lucky in Marion County that we have had a levy that is a long standing Levy, and that Marion County supports its library so well,' she said. 'There are other counties where that is not the same.'
