Fiscal Note
No appropriation required
Title
Requesting that the U.S. Congress restore Library funding in proposed federal budget.
Body
WHEREAS, the Madison Public Library Board requests the City of Madison to support the following action in response to President Trump's budget proposal on March 16, 2017; and,
WHEREAS, President Trump has proposed the elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and more than $210 million in funding cuts for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and the Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL);
and,
WHEREAS, Wisconsin libraries received $2.67 million in grants from IMLS in 2016, which helped fund services including wired and wireless networks, statewide delivery of library materials, interlibrary loan, Badger Link and shared technology access; and,
WHEREAS, IMLS has provided support for innovative programs at Madison Public Library, including our Bubbler program which was funded for two years through a $267,000.00 National Leadership Grant awarded to UW-Madison; and,
WHEREAS, MPL’s Making Justice program for at-risk and court-involved teens received LSTA funds to help it succeed; and,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Mayor and Common Council formally request that Wisconsin’s congressional representatives be resolved to return this funding to the budget and advocate for an increase in funding to these key agencies and programs to support our museums and libraries.