Tell Congress to #FundLibraries

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We’re on to the next stage of critical library advocacy for this year, and we need your help if one of your Congressmembers serves on the Appropriations Committee, which writes government spending bills. That means you have a unique chance to influence whether and how much funding for libraries gets included in next year’s federal budget.

You can check out if your Senators are on the Appropriations Committee here, and you can check if your House Representative is on that Appropriations Committee here.

If you're represented by a member of either Appropriations Committee:

Act now to urge their support of library funding!

As ALA fights for the future of library funding in court, we need every advocate to tell Congress to #FundLibraries.

So if you're not a constituent of an Appropriations Committee member in either house of Congress, visit our Show Up homepage to find resources for lots of other ways you can help support federal funding for libraries right now. Want to customize flyers to hand out in your community about all the ways that libraries improve our lives, or learn best practices for hosting your legislators at your local library? We've got you covered, with all that and more!

As the courts deliberate on the Administration’s illegal attempt to eliminate the only federal agency dedicated to libraries, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), it’s critical that Congress includes funding for this agency through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) in the FY26 budget—otherwise, IMLS won’t be able to operate, regardless of the outcome of the court cases. For school libraries, Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL) provides needed resources for addressing literacy. Similarly, while courts debate the future of the Department of Education, it’s vital that Congress continue funding for IAL.

Learn more about the campaign to fund libraries and spread the word with our tools and resources below.

Congressional "Dear Appropriator" Signature History

Each year, ALA's Public Policy and Advocacy Office works with congressional staff to produce and circulate "Dear Appropriator" letters in Congress, addressed to members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, requesting funding amounts for federal programs that support libraries. The Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funding supports libraries of all types through the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and its grant programs, including direct-to-state grants. The Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL) funding supports school libraries through the Department of Education.

The circulation of the "Dear Appropriator" letters marks the first and most influential nationwide advocacy action on the federal budget in any given year, and took place this year between April and May. In 2025, the letters were led by Senator Jack Reed (RI), Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02), and Rep. Jim McGovern (MA-02). You can see the final tally of signatures in both house of Congress below.

Did your Senators sign on to support library funding in FY2026 or in previous fiscal years?

Did your House Representative sign on to support library funding in FY2026 or in previous fiscal years?

Appropriations Fact Sheets & Resources

Download a handy one-pager of your state's IMLS funding history and library facts. Need more specific examples? Check out the full IMLS grant database!

Curious about the specifics of what federal funds have paid for over the past decade? Check out this detailed chart for all the services that federal funds have provided across the country!

Download our Appropriations pathway for advocates to learn more about how the Appropriations process works.

Invite members of Congress to visit your library. Check out these tips for organizing a virtual or in-person visit, and download this one-page introduction to Federal funding to share with them on the visit.

Share the Campaign - Share Your Story!

Spread the word about #FundLibraries on social media and share the impact of IMLS funding in your library or state. Remember to tag your posts with #FundLibraries.

Download all of our Fund Libraries graphics here.
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Fund Libraries - Tell Congress to invest in libraries

Past "Dear Appropriator" Letters

FY26 Senate Letter on LSTA - May 2025
FY26 Senate Letter on IAL - May 2025
FY26 House Letter on LSTA - April 2025
FY26 House Letter on IAL - April 2025

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