Carson City effort helps secure federal funding for libraries

The American Library Association honored Carson City Library and its cohorts for 2019 advocacy efforts, helping restore federal library funding after it was proposed to be eliminated for the third time last spring.

The federal funding came on the heels of the 2019 Nevada Legislature providing permanent funding of an additional $450,000 (per biennium) to state libraries last spring, resulting in the largest federal funding increase in 12 years. The ALA shared how the work of libraries statewide to advocate with Congress is why library funding has grown steadily over the past three years.

“Our library team’s actions are part of everyone’s strong dedication to our ongoing initiative,” said Tod Colegrove, director of Carson City Library. “We aim every day to show the importance of libraries in our communities. We’re carrying that torch and tag-teaming with other libraries. Our group effort isn’t stopping nor slowing down.”

ALA discussed how the record increase in federal funding in large part comes from every member of Congress hearing from ALA and its advocates about the significance of libraries and their impact in communities across the country.

Carson City Library worked on the #FundLibraries campaign as well as supported the #eBooksForAll campaign — with 236,858 signatures and counting — helped to pass the GREAT Act, assisted in preparing our community for the 2020 Census as well as continued pushing for increased library funding at the state and local levels.

“It’s exciting where those collars come from,” Colegrove added. “It doesn’t come out of the local tax bucket but the federal one, libraries in every state earning a substantial amount of money for expressly supporting the education libraries offer and library technology.”

The following are more highlights from the ALA funding:

Secured a $10 million increase for the Institute of Museum and Library Services including $6.2 million for the Library Services and Technology Act — the largest increase in LSTA funding in 12 years.

Protected the Innovative Approaches to Literacy program from elimination, safeguarding $27 million in funding for school libraries.

New advocates from all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Washington D.C. joined the #FundLibraries campaign.

For information, visit www.carsoncitylibrary.org and follow the library on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.