KHYATI PATEL , Spectrum News 1; Federal funding cuts could be felt at Kentucky libraries
"Of Kentucky’s 120 counties, almost 80 counties only have one library.
“So what that means for our population is that no matter where you live in our county, the library that you have access to, it’s all in one location,” said Ashley Wagers, library director for the Jackson County Public Library.
She said the library’s bookmobile travels throughout the county with resources for people in some of the most rural areas of the state.
“It takes us as long as 30 to 45 minutes to get out to where they live. And when you’re faced with economic challenges, you know, you might not have a vehicle that’s even reliable to get to the library, to get to those resources,” Wagers said...
In May, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the federal agency which supports libraries, found out the law guiding its funding will expire this fall. Some funding from IMLS goes to the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives.
A state spokesperson said the federal budget cut equates to a loss of about $3 million for libraries across the Commonwealth.
They shared a statement which said, “As of May 4, 2025, staff at IMLS has been reduced to 12 from 77. Congress appropriates funding for IMLS and the legislation under the Museum and Library Services Act that dictates how the agency distributes funding expires on September 30, 2025. The first budget proposal for the upcoming federal fiscal year has removed all funding for IMLS grants, reducing the amount to $6 million to close out the agency. It would mean a loss of over $2.7 million for KDLA. To date, KDLA has not received an official award notification for the next fiscal year, which will run through September 30, 2026.”...
The state said the federal funds make up about 24% of KDLA’s operational budget."
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