Federal Funding
- What is Federal Funding?
- Why this issue matters to libraries
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Recent Legislative Background
- Other Information
- Appropriations Issue Brief: June 2009 (pdf)
Contact Us
Lynne BradleyDirector, Office of Government Relations
202-628-8410
lbradley@alawash.org
What is Federal Funding?
Quite simply, funding is money. Federal funding is the money for libraries that comes from the U.S. government. The majority of federal library program funds are distributed through the Institute of Museum and Library Services to each state. The Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) is part of the annual Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill.
In addition to lobbying for LSTA funds, the ALA's Washington Office specifically communicates to Congress about the importance of funding federal libraries - like the Library of Congress, the National Agricultural Library, the National Library of Medicine, etc. - as well as programs in the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. We also lobby for increases for adult education and literacy. In addition, we look for opportunities for libraries of all kinds to become involved in education programs like those for early childhood education.
For information on the federal funding process works, visit our Primer on the Budget Resolution and the Legislative Process.
For information on how libraries benefit from the recently passed American Recovery & Reinvestment Act, please visit the ALA Washington Office's American Recovery & Reinvestment Act 101 page.
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Why this issue matters to libraries
Libraries of all kinds need money. The amount of funding that a library receives directly influences the quality of its services. While the majority of funding for libraries comes from state and local sources, federal funding provides critical assistance, giving libraries across the country the financial support they need to serve their communities.
For the past several years the federal budget has been hard on domestic programs. While libraries have seen increases to the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), many other programs that benefit libraries have been severely cut or in some cases terminated. We follow these other programs as well, because libraries are just one part of a much bigger picture that includes education, the humanities, the arts, and many other important societal functions.
What follows are several programs that ALA supports that have been negatively affected by the federal budget. ALA feel that these programs are important enough for our members to know more about and take an active interest in saving:
- National Endowment for the Humanities
- National Endowment for the Arts
- Title V part A
- Even Start
- Reading is Fundamental
- Enhancing Education Through Technology State Grants
Recent Legislative Background
On May 14, a "Dear Colleague" letter was circulated by Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) in support of funding for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Program. The letter was addressed to the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriation Subcommittees and requests that the Senate include $300 million for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and $100 million for the Improving Literary Through School Libraries program for FY 2010.| FY 2010 Letter Signers (41) | FY 2009 Letter Signers (47) |
| Reed Snowe Kohl Lautenberg Cardin Gillibrand Lieberman Wyden Boxer Lincoln Kennedy Menendez Whitehouse Sanders Bingaman Levin Schumer Rockefeller Conrad Johnson Tester Burris Casey Dodd Baucus Leahy Bunning Brown Merkley Burr Shaheen Cantwell Akaka Mikulski Stabenow Feingold Klobuchar Udall, Tom Udall, Mark Bennet, Michael Begich |
Reed Biden Collins Kennedy Lincoln Cantwell Sanders Pryor Wyden Tester Clinton Brown Leahy Dodd Sununu Smith Snowe Levin Kerry Akaka Rockefeller Stabenow Kohl Menendez Whitehouse Boxer Lautenberg Durbin Schumer Obama Lieberman Cardin Johnson Baucus Klobuchar Feingold Mikulski Bingaman Casey Dole Conrad Burr McCaskill Salazar Bill Nelson Webb Coleman |
A "Dear Colleague" letter (Word) supporting library funding was sent by Rep. Grijalva (D-AZ) to the House Appropriations Committee on April 3. The following Representatives have signed on:
Raul Grijalva (D-AZ)Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
Vernon Ehlers (R-MI)
Maurice Hinchey (D-NY)
Rush Holt (D-NJ)
John Lewis (D-GA) (N)
James Oberstar (D-MN) (N)
Mike Ross (D-AR)
Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
Henry Waxman (D-CA)
Ike Skelton (D-MO)
Paul Tonko (D-NY) (N) Freshman
Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH) (N)
Paul Hodes (D-NH) (N)
Leonard Lance (R-NJ) (N) Freshman
Eric Massa (D-NY) (N) Freshman
Dave Loebsack (D-IA)
Lois Capps (D-CA) (N)
Donald Payne (D-NJ) (N)
Chellie Pingree (D-ME) (N) Freshman
Nick Rahall (D-WV) (N)
Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) (N)
John Hall (D-NY) (N)
Michael Michaud (D-ME) (N)
John Shimkus (R-IL)
Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) (N)
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Related Files
- Congress passes FY 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Bill (Word doc)
- Library Facts and Figures (pdf)
- Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Fact Sheet (pdf)
- School Library Fact Sheet (pdf)
Related Links
- State Library Statistics
- Primer on the Budget Resolutions and the Legislative Process
- School Libraries
- Improving Literacy Through School Libraries
- Federal Grants
- Federal Student Loan Forgiveness
- Head Start
- Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
- Congressional Budget Office
- Senate Budget Committee
- House Budget Committee
- Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education
- House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education
- The Institute of Museum and Library Services
- Improving Literacy Through School Libraries (USDoEd)