Dear Friends,

As supporters of Dyer Library and Saco Museum you should be aware of the concerning news regarding President Trump’s March 14 Executive Order that calls for the reduction of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS.) 

Thanks to the abundance of calls from Mainers, Senator Susan Collins joined Senators Jack Reed, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Lisa Murkowski in writing to IMLS Acting Director Keith Sonderling to urge him to continue IMLS’s mission to engage with and support libraries and museums. We in Maine are lucky that our representatives understand the value of libraries and museums in our local communities, and we thank Senators Collins and King and Representatives Pingree and Golden for supporting us. 

It can be easy to feel like the federal machinations like this do not have a huge impact on our day to day lives, but today we want to share some more information about what impact this would have on our Saco community. Here are just a few of the specific impacts we would feel:

• As a central hub for information, we receive free gigabit internet through the Maine School and Library Network. We see dozens of people using our public computers every day, and countless more hopping on our WiFi to conduct meetings, do research, socialize, or otherwise connect with the greater world. 
• Funds through this agency expand our capacity to offer e-books and e-audiobooks to our digital readers–alone we would not be able to provide the depth of breadth of the collection supported by the State through IMLS funding. The average cost of a license for a digital title is over $60 and lasts for only a year or two, meaning that maintaining this collection requires significant financial and time investment. 
• This funding connects over 260 libraries across the state with interlibrary loan service, and funds the technology infrastructure that allows this system to work seamlessly. Dyer Library is currently in the process of getting fully integrated, and without federal funding for the staff at Maine State Library and Maine InfoNet, this transition would be stopped in its tracks. Instead of increasing the access for Saco residents to books and libraries throughout the state, this would make it even harder. 

We urge our community to stay alert to the federal actions around IMLS. Continue reaching out to your Senators and Representatives to share the positive impact that libraries and museums have had on your life. Make sure that IMLS retains their 0.0046% of the overall federal budget, and that this incredibly modest investment ensures that all communities have access to essential library services.

Thank you for your support,

Dyer Library/Saco Museum Staff and Board of Trustees. 

For more information, please see the statements put out by the Maine Library Association, FAQs from the American Library Association, and steps to take action from the American Alliance of Museums and the Cultural Alliance of Maine.