December 2018 629 C&RL News

Kevin Maher is deputy director of government relations 
at ALA’s Washington Office, email: kmaher@alawash.org

W a s h i n g t o n  H o t l i n eKevin Maher

Federal funding for academic libraries
Congressionally appropriated funding pro-
vides millions of dollars, direct and indirect, 
to college and research libraries, as well as 
public, school, government, and special li-
braries. Every year, ALA members make a 
significant push to fight for funding to the 
Institute of Museum and Library Services 
(IMLS). 

For libraries, IMLS provides $189.3 million 
in funding for libraries through the Library 
Services and Technology Act (LSTA). A num-
ber of academic libraries receive direct LSTA 
grants. Two specific LSTA programs, the Na-
tional Leadership Grants for Libraries and the 
Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian, provide 
direct grants to academic libraries, including 
recipient universities such as Montana State 
University, University of Notre Dame, Duke 
University, and University of Buffalo, to name 
a few. For FY2018, grants to academic librar-
ies under these two programs ranged from 
less than $25,000 to more than $500,000.

Direct federal funding to academic 
libraries supports a range of activities. 
Academic libraries at minority-serving in-
stitutions benefit from funding under Title 
III of the Higher Education Act, currently 
receiving several hundred million dollars 
in funding. Title III-D authorizes support 
for academic constructions and/or renova-
tion projects, but libraries are eligible for 
funding of these projects. 

College and research libraries often ac-
cess federal and congressional agencies, 
programs, research, and national librar-
ies. Many college libraries participate in 
the Federal Depository Library program, 
providing students and the general public 
access to federal collections.

Indirect federal funding benefits college 
and research libraries in several ways. A fed-
eral contribution to colleges and universities 
for nonlibrary functions allows schools to 
allocate local resources for services such as 
libraries. Federal loan programs allow a greater 
number of students to attend institutions of 
higher education who, presumably, will spend 
some time at a school library to study, conduct 
research, and use Wi-Fi and other services.

The challenge to federal funding for 
domestic programs, including IMLS, will be 
fierce in the 116th Congress. The adminis-
tration has made its position clear that they 
intend to cut federal support for domestic 
programs, such as education, while seeking 
increases for defense priorities. 

For a third straight year, ALA expects the 
administration to propose elimination or 
significant cuts to library programs. Gains by 
Democrats in Congress may increase vocal 
support for library funding, but action will 
be an uphill battle. 

Engagement by ACRL members is a neces-
sary part of the ongoing campaign to protect 
federal library funding, and the new Congress 
provides a fresh opportunity to establish or 
reinforce relationships with elected leaders 
that position libraries as an integral part of the 
communities they represent. Advocacy is a 
year-round activity, and it is only through the 
efforts of the local constituents that decision 
makers will look to libraries as the sources 
of innovation and education that they are.

Whether it is doing research on your mem-
ber of Congress or preparing for a first visit 
with them or their staff in their field offices, 
ALA’s Washington Office is here to support 
your efforts to engage decision makers at all 
levels. And if you have good relations with 
your members of Congress, please tell us so 
that we can support your advocacy in our 
work with offices on the Hill. 

mailto:kmaher%40alawash.org?subject=