Library Week is April 6- 12, 2025
Federal funding for local libraries is threatened. It’s time to notify your elected officials!
LWV Grosse Pointe adopted positions supporting public libraries. Let’s turn our advocacy into action. As individuals, we can support this pillar of democracy.
Have you or a family member:
- borrowed a book, video, or audio book?
- dropped in to read a current newspaper or magazine?
- used ancestry.com or other research services provided at our public libraries?
- taken your child or grandchild to story time?
- used the DREAM Lab at Woods Branch?
- attended a lecture?
- found a bargain at the Friends bookstore?
- used MeLCat to borrow materials from another Michigan library?
The funding for these and other programs is threatened by the Executive Order, “Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy,” issued on March 14, 2025. It adversely affects the only federal agency that provides funding to libraries, museums, and archives. Michigan residents will lose critical library services if the $4.01 million/year is cut. Read the Executive Order at https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/continuing-the-reduction-of-the-federal-bureaucracy/
At a minimum, we will lose MeLCat – the electronic catalog and resource-sharing service that allows us to borrow books and other materials from hundreds of Michigan libraries in Michigan. Grosse Pointe Public Library is one of the top 25 libraries that participate.
In her Director’s Report dated March 20, 2025, Jessica Keyser clearly outlined how federal cuts would remove funding. At this meeting, M. Freundl, dedicated Observer at the Grosse Pointe Library Board of Trustees, urged library board members to submit letters to the editors and contact our representatives and senators in the U.S. Congress. Please add your voice. Contact your elected representatives. Show up for our libraries!
Here’s contact information for your senators and representative in Congress.
Senator Gary Peters
Hart Senate Office Bldg. Ste. 724
Washington D.C 20510
202-224-6221
Senator Elissa Slotkin
Hart Senate Office Bldg. Ste. 825 B/C
Washington D.C 20510
202-224-4822
13th District Representative Shri Thanedar
154 Cannon Office Bldg.
Washington D.C. 20515
313-880-2400; 202-225-5802
At a loss for words? The Michigan Library Association posted a script for your telephone call, email, or postcard https://www.milibraries.org/imls
We depend on our libraries. Our libraries depend on us. Take action NOW!
7 More Steps You Can Take Right Now
- Visit your local library and speak with a librarian.
- Attend the next library, school board, or city council meeting.
- Support local elected officials who stand up for our Right to Read.
- Use your library card to borrow a book, video, or audio book.
- If you don’t have a library card, get one and use it.
- Join Friends of the Library.
- Spread the word!
What this means for our community and every community in Michigan:
Read the Grosse Pointe Library Director’s Report: https://app.boardable.com/grosse-pointe-public-library/meetings/public/fff937bbfb1f72ce5752e5844068906b/c9f83a80/view
Meeting schedules
Grosse Pointe Public Library Board of Trustees meeting schedule: https://grossepointelibrary.org/board
Friends https://www.gpfriends.org/
Harper Woods Public Library
Board of Trustees meeting schedule https://www.harperwoodslibrary.org/about-us/board-of-trustees/board-of-trustees.html
Friends https://www.harperwoodslibrary.org/about-us/friends-of-the-library/friends.html
Resources
American Library Association, FAQs on this Executive Order https://www.ala.org/faq-executive-order-targeting-imls
Michigan Right To Read https://www.mirighttoread.com/
EveryLibrary https://action.everylibrary.org/saveimls2025?utm_campaign=email_for_imls_2&utm_medium=email&utm_source=votelibraries