Important: How Recent Executive Order Affects New Hampshire Libraries
On Friday, March 14th, 2025, an executive order was issued that could reduce or eliminate important services provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). IMLS is a federal agency that helps libraries and museums across all 50 states and U.S. territories. If these changes go through, it will seriously affect library services for Hanover and all of New Hampshire.
In our state, the New Hampshire State Library receives $1.5 million from IMLS to fund programs like the interlibrary loan system (ILL), the online catalog, and courier van services that help deliver books between libraries. In 2024, The Howe Library loaned 1,184 items to other libraries and borrowed 861 items to meet the needs of our patrons.
IMLS funding also helps provide important services like Talking Books for people with vision impairments and access to Libby, which allows you to borrow eBooks, audiobooks, and digital magazines. Howe Library patrons borrowed over 4000 titles last year through Libby.
What does this mean for you? If IMLS funding is cut, these services will be greatly affected or completely removed. This could hurt how libraries in New Hampshire work together, and it would limit the materials and services that are available to you.
How can you help? If you care about keeping these services, we need you to contact your Congressional Delegation. Tell them why IMLS funding is so important and how cutting it will harm people in New Hampshire, not just in Hanover. https://www.sos.nh.gov/congressional-delegation
Thank you for your support of libraries. We’ll keep you updated with more information and ways you can help.
March 25, 2025
