The Illinois Heartland Library System provides 520 libraries in the southern half of Illinois the ability to share physical resources through a delivery system at no cost to library patrons.

Morrison-Talbott Library in Waterloo and Columbia Public Library, as well as most libraries in the St. Louis metro east, are members of IHLS.

Using the IHLS delivery service, a library patron in Monroe County may request any book, DVD, video game or other resource available at a member library, and the request will be fulfilled using an interlibrary loan delivery system which provides five-day-a-week service.

Many times, pending item availability, delivery occurs within one to two days.

That delivery service is now in jeopardy following an executive order signed March 14 by President Donald Trump. 

The executive order instructed seven federal entities to reduce operations to  statutorily-mandated minimums.

Among the entities affected by the executive order is the Institute of Museum and Library Services, which represents the largest source of federal funding for museums and libraries.

The Library Services and Technology Act – which supports resource sharing through IHLS – is administered through the IMLS.

While local librarians report day-to-day operations will not be affected by this executive order, they have expressed uncertainty about the future of the interlibrary delivery service.

Local library directors responded to questions about the impact of the funding cut.

Jamie Wratchford, director of Morrison-Talbott Library in Waterloo, explained that resource sharing, grant funding, the Illinois Libraries Present programs and training programs will likely be affected, according to the Illinois Library Association.

Last week, Wratchford told the Republic-Times Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias sent an email to libraries throughout the state assuring them the annual Per Capita Grants – funded through the state – are secure.

Wratchford said Morrison-Talbott Library uses those grant funds in part to pay IHLS membership fees.

“An average of 80 percent of Morrison-Talbott’s operating budget is from local property taxes,” Wratchford said. “The rest is from the Per Capita Grant, any other grants and private donations we can secure, and funds from services such as faxing, photocopying etc.”

Like many other library directors throughout the state, Wratchford is adopting a wait-and-see approach, although she added, “For now, it doesn’t appear as if Morrison-Talbott Library will be affected in the short term.”

Millstadt Library Director Nichole Lauko shared a similar cautious optimism.

“For most of our public libraries in our area, our general operations will not be affected,” Lauko said. “However, that does not stop us from having many patrons ask us if our library is going to be OK.”

She also expanded on the potential impact of the funding cut.

“The most detrimental potential cut would be the delivery service, but it would also be the other vendors we receive as a discount through consortium sharing as well, such as eBooks and audiobooks through Cloud Library, streaming services from Biblio+, movie programming through Swank Pictures, and so much more,” Lauko continued.

Many local libraries provide access to a variety of digital media at no cost to library cardholders.

Lauko also speculated about a possible “trickle effect” of the executive order.

“As of now, with federal funding covering many costs from the top down, it allows for the state and other organizations to provide extra funds for grants,” Lauko concluded. “Without the support of federal funding, it would be possible that those other grants that libraries rely on would have to be cut, or something else will have to be diminished in other service areas to cover other funding solutions. For small, rural libraries, grant funding is vital to keep programs and services going.”

Lauko has posted an informational page on Millstadt Library’s website, which also includes links to other information and links to sign an EveryLibrary petition and to send messages to elected officials.

The page may be accessed at millstadt-library.org/post/potential-imls-defunding-and-what-it-means.

The impact of the IMLS cut may not be fully realized until later this year. 

Current funding at the federal level is approved through the end of September.

A page on the IHLS website states some of its funding can continue if Congress reauthorizes the Museum and Library Services Act of 2018 before Sept. 30. Furthermore, funding will need to be included in the Fiscal Year 2026 federal budget.

“Congressional action is vital to ensuring a favorable outcome,” the site states.

On Monday, California Governor Gavin Newsome announced a lawsuit against the Trump Administration following the library funding cut, joining New York, Michigan and other states along with organizations such as the American Library Association and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees in an attempt to challenge the executive order.

All of this comes as April 6-12 is National Library Week. For more on that annual designation, visit ala.org.