On March 14, 2025, an executive order called for cuts to the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the federal
agency that helps fund libraries nationwide.

On Tuesday, April 1, the entire staff of the IMLS was placed on
administrative leave, making it impossible for them to process library grant funding

What is the IMLS?

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is an independent federal agency that supports libraries, archives
and museums in all 50 states and U.S. territories. The IMLS was legally established and funded by Congress.

Will this affect the Belleville Area District Library and/or the people of the tri-community?

Yes. In Michigan, IMLS funds the Michigan eLibrary – including MeLCat interlibrary loan services and statewide
databases. These are services that the BADL relies heavily upon, and that members of our community regularly use.
MeL interlibrary loan services make materials in libraries throughout the state available for request, including test study
guides and hard-to-find older titles.

The Michigan eLibrary offers a wide variety of free-to-use databases such as:
• Learning Express (resume and cover letter assistance; GED test prep; nursing, electrician, and plumbing exam
prep; computer basics video courses, etc);
• Early literacy and learning resources like Britannica and World Book, which are widely used for homework;
• Auto Repair Source (car repair guides);
• Search databases that provide the full-text of numerous journal and magazine articles for students of all ages, as
well as for adults researching a health condition or legal matter, etc.

How much of these resources is funded by money from IMLS?

MeL and MeLCat are paid for through $3.4 million in federal funding and $1.4 million in state funding. This funding
allows libraries to benefit from volume discounts and to save money through resource sharing.

What happens next?

We do not yet have any information regarding a discontinuation or interruption of these services, or if libraries will be
able to fund them independently after the loss of IMLS funding. We will work with the Library of Michigan, The Library
Network, and libraries across the state to determine the status of funding for programs like statewide interlibrary loan
and the Michigan Electronic Library (MeL). The State Attorney General has filed a request for an emergency restraining
order to stop the dismantling of the IMLS.