Below is the text of the pre-written email in support of library funding you can sign and send by following this link:
I’m a constituent and am writing today with two requests –
1) Before May 19, please sign two bipartisan “Dear Appropriator” letters.
The first, circulated by Sens. Reed and Collins, supports $186.6 million in FY 2018 funding for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) for FY 2018. These funds go to every state in the country according to a population-based formula and help libraries serve many diverse populations across our state, including: students, veterans, job seekers, entrepreneurs and small businesses.
The second letter is also backed by Sen. Reed with Sens. Grassley and Stabenow. It asks the Appropriations Committee to again provide $27 million in FY 2018 for the Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL) program. It helps school libraries and non-profit groups buy books and other materials for the nation’s poorest children.
2) When the time comes, please oppose any legislation that would eliminate or defund the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) as the President has proposed. IMLS is the small and respected federal agency through which the bulk of LSTA funds are passed on to every state according to a population-based formula for state library authorities to determine how they may best be used.
America’s 120,000 libraries may well be taxpayers’ highest returning investment. Thank you for supporting LSTA, IAL and IMLS.