Federal Cuts to Library Funding
State Cuts to Library Funding

State Cuts to Library Funding

What’s going on?
What does this mean for Hawaiʻi libraries?
What can we do?

Whatʻs Going On? –

March 16 – The Hawaiʻi State Legislature is in conference session to finalize the Biennium State Budget – the budget through 2027. The current Senate draft HB300_SD1 includes eliminating 24.5 staff positions from the Hawaiʻi State Public Library System as well as cuts to funding for facilities projects.

The State Senate would like to cut these positions because they have been vacant for an extended period of time. However, most of these positions were not funded by the legislature until the current 2024-25 funding cycle. A couple of the positions were recently filled. Other positions are at branches closed for renovation and the libraries have been holding off on hiring until those branches re-open.

The libraries are already set to lose $1.5Million in Federal funds (see the Federal funding section).

What Does This Mean for Hawaiʻi Libraries? – We donʻt want to lose ANY positions at our already understaffed library system. Many rural branches are already on the brink of closure if a staff member calls out sick! Six months ago, in Fall 2024, Civil Beat ran an article, “Job Cuts Could ‘Permanently Impact’ Hawaii’s Struggling Libraries,” about a similar push by the Department of Budget & Finance to cut vacant positions. Once lost, staff positions are very difficult to reinstate. Since funding was released this year, library administration has been working as quickly as possible to go through state hiring processes to fill these positions.

What Can We Do? – Please Call or Email your Hawaiʻi legislators and ask them to retain library staffing and funding at this critical juncture. The increasing potential for economic hardship will mean more people will rely on our library resources as the one free-and-open-to-all institution in every community. We need to ensure that the branches are staffed and open to serve.

Need help knowing what to say? Here are a few ideas:

1. Ask them to restore funding for library staff positions, noting the budget bill, HB300, and that most of the positions were only recently fully funded and that it takes time to fill positions.
2. Encourage them to provide the requested Health and Safety funding for FY27, so that library building projects can continue and be completed. 
3. Share your support for your public library, and tell a brief personal story about why it matters to you.

Find your legislator

Friends of the Library of Hawaiʻi is also working to make sure that there are enough librarians to fill those open positions. We haver recently doubled our funding for Scholarships to students in the UH Master of Library and Information Science program to $50,000!

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Federal Cuts to Library Funding

Federal funding for our public libraries is being eliminated. Learn more about what’s going on and what you can do to support our libraries.

What’s going on?
What does this mean for Hawaiʻi libraries?
What can we do?

What’s going on?

On March 14, 2025, the President issued an Executive Order eliminating, to the maximum extent consistent with the law, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). IMLS is an independent federal agency, and it is the only federal agency dedicated to funding library services. On March 20, 2025, the President, along with DOGE, appointed a new Acting Director at IMLS. IMLS gave out $295 million in 2024, or .0046% of the U.S. federal budget.

The Hawaiʻi State Public Library System (HSPLS) receives approximately $1.5 million in funding from IMLS through the Library Services and Technology Act – Grants to States Programs. HSPLS uses these funds to ensure access to the internet, technology, collections, and digital and physical resources that support reading and learning. This includes ebooks, audio books, and databases for research and learning. 

HSPLS is not the only Hawaiʻi institution that receives IMLS funding. In fiscal year 2024, 10 other organizations in Hawaiʻi received funding from IMLS.  

What does this mean for Hawaiʻi libraries?

The loss of IMLS funds does NOT mean that our public libraries will close. HSPLS is a state agency funded by our state legislature. The state is responsible for the facilities, staff, and collections (i.e., the books and resources on the shelves in the library). 

However, library services will be impacted. HSPLS uses federal funds to pay for the databases and many of the licenses and subscriptions to digital services found under the “Learn” and “Research” tabs on the HSPLS website as well as the library catalog. IMLS funds are also used for special projects and programs, including purchasing technology hardware and computer literacy training. The state library budget is tight, and HSPLS will have to make cuts in some areas to replace IMLS funding for items like the catalog that is critical to the functioning of the library system.

This Executive Order would eliminate future funds. Services may not be immediately impacted, but the library will not be able to renew services funded through IMLS. It will not be possible for Friends of the Library of Hawaiʻi to replace $1.5 million in HSPLS’s annual budget. It is unknown whether the state legislature would be able to replace some or all of IMLS funding.

What can we do?

First and foremost, please continue to visit your public library and use library services. Utilization shows the important role libraries play in our communities.  

Next, we implore Congress to enact a law that overrides the Executive Order. In conjunction with the State Librarian’s open letter, FLH has written a letter to Hawaiʻi’s congressional delegation. Please join us in telling congress to protect IMLS and our libraries. There is power in collective action, and together we can make our voices heard. 

Here are 3 easy steps to write to our Senators and Representatives.  

Step 1: Identify your congressional representatives  

You can write to both Hawai’i Senators, Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz. You should only write to your Representative, Ed Case or Jill Tokuda. 

You can enter your home address here to find your Representative. 

Step 2: Write an email or letter  

Explain why Congress must protect IMLS and why libraries are important to you. We recommend a short and succinct message. For more information on writing to congress, check out this resource from the U.S. Capitol.  

If you need a little help, we have created a template letter that you can customize. We recommend making it personal and including how any reduction in library services will impact you. We have made the template available in Google Doc, Microsoft Word, and as a PDF.

If you plan to email your letter, you can copy and paste the template into an email. If you plan to mail your letter, edit the template, print it, and grab an envelope and stamp. 

Step 3: Send your letter  

You can find the emails and mailing addresses of Hawai’i congressional representatives below. 

Senator Mazie Hirono 
109 Hart Senate Office Building 
Washington, DC 20510
Email 

Senator Brian Schatz
722 Hart Senate Office Building 
Washington, DC 20510
Email 

Representative Ed Case
2210 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Email

Representative Jill Tokuda 
1027 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20003
Email

Now what?

Here are 5 other things you can do: 

1. Amplify your message by calling Congress and participating in town halls. 
2. Encourage your family and friends to write to their congressional representatives in support of IMLS. 
3. Sign EveryLibrary’s petition telling Congress to stop Trump’s Executive Order attacks on Federal Funding for Libraries.
4. Follow the American Library Association for updates.
5. Follow the Hawai’i Library Association for updates.