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Federal Funding

• What is Federal Funding?
• Why this matters to libraries
• Recent Legislative Background
• Other Information

• FY 2009 Appropriations Issue Brief: June 2008
  

Last Updated: July 31, 2008

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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 recent reports in library funding, visit ALA's Library Funding News page.

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Why this 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

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Recent Legislative Background

The American Library Association (ALA) applauded the funding increases for libraries proposed in President Bush’s fiscal year (FY) 2009 budget, released on February 4, 2008. The increases in library funding proposed by the President will mean that many of America’s libraries can continue to provide key programs and services to their communities, like bookmobiles and public access to the Internet.

In a budget where domestic discretionary spending was severely restricted and funding for 151 programs was cut or eliminated, the Library Services and Technology Act saw several key increases. Included in LSTA, the most important federal legislation affecting libraries, are the following totals:

• $171.5 million for state grants, an increase of $10.6 million over FY 2008; this funding increase ensures that smaller states will have the resources to serve their populations, a priority the Congress recognized in 2003;
• $12.715 million for the National Leadership Grants for Libraries, an increase of $556,000 over FY 2008;
• $26.5 million for the Recruitment of Librarians for the 21st Century, an increase of $3.16 million over FY 2008;
•  $3.717 million for Native Americans Library Services, an increase of $143,000 over FY 2008; and
• $3.5 million for library policy, research, and statistics (included in the administration total), an increase of $1.54 million over FY 2008; this will help libraries identify the programs that most effectively serve users.

For school libraries, the President requested level funding for the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Program.

The President requested $174.254 million for the Government Printing Office (GPO). Within GPO, the request includes:

• $97.928 million for Congressional Printing and Binding; and
  $43.426 million for Superintendent of Documents

The ALA Washington Office will continue to provide information as we review the budget documents.

Recent Budget History (numbers in thousands)

Funding for Selected Programs FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009 President’s Request Institute of Museum and Library Services $210,597 $263,508 $271,246     Grants to State Library Agencies $163,746 $160,855 $171,500     Native American Library Services $3,638 $3,574 $3,717     National Leadership $12,375 $12,159 $12,715     21st Century Library Professionals $23,760 $23,345 $26,500 National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS) $983 $400 close out activities $0  GPO Superintendent of Documents $33,000 $35,000 $43,426 Library of Congress $508,000 $562,000 $645,800         Talking Book Program X $12,500 $12,500 Department of Education       Title I, Grants to Local Education Agencies (ESEA I-A) $12,713,125 $13,898,875 $14,304,901 Even Start (ESEA I-B-3) $111,584 $66,545 $0 Reading First State Grants (ESEA I-B-1) $1,018,692 $393,012 $1,000,000 Early Reading First (ESEA I-B-2) $103,118 $112,549 $112,549 Striving Readers Initiative $31,596 $35,371 $100,000 Improving Literacy Through School Libraries (ESEA I-B-4) $19,486 $19,145 $19,145 Education Technology (ESEA II-D-1 &2) $273,062 $267,494 $0 21st Century Community Learning Centers (ESEA IV-B) $981,180 $1,081,166 $800,000 Innovative Ed. Prog. Strategies (ESEA V-Part A) $99,183 $0 $0 Inexpensive Book Distribution (RIF) (ESEA V-D, 5) $25,043 $23,831 $0 Special Education (IDEA) State Grants $10,491,941 $10,947,511 $11,284,511 Carl D. Perkins State Grants $1,181,553 $1,160,911 $0 Adult Education & Literacy State Grants $564,074 $554,122 $554,122 Adult Education National Leadership $9,005 $6,878 $14,000 National Institute for Literacy $6,583 $6,468 $6,468 Institute of Education Sciences         Educational Research $162,535 $159,696 $167,196   Educational Statistics $89,952 $88,494 $104,593   Educational Assessment $93,117 $104,063 $138,844 Other Agencies & Programs       Head Start (HHS) $6,789,000 $6,900,000 $7,000,000 National Endowment for the Arts $124,000 $145,000 $128,412 National Endowment for the Humanities $139,000 $145,000 $132,242

Other Information

• Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA)
• Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Fact Sheet (PDF)
• Library Facts and Figures (PDF)
• School Library Fact Sheet (PDF)
• School Libraries

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• 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)