"Libraries are anchor institutions in their community. These anchors may soon have their feed line cut," says Morgan Lehr-Miller, a Maryland State Librarian.
The feed line is our federal government.
"It's a tiny, tiny fraction of the federal budget, but it has a huge impact throughout every county in the state of Maryland," Lehr-Miller states.
The thing is, local libraries help everyone. Libraries are the literary homes where kids are practicing their reading.
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In Washington County, libraries provide telehealth services "actually at the library and receive access to critical care."
An executive order targeted the Institute of Museum and Library Services as one the president considers unnecessary.
The institute was created by a Republican-led Congress back in 1996 with a mission of supporting museums and libraries nationwide.
According to the state's top librarian, Lehr-Miller, this support has made libraries a critical, modern resource for the community.
"Yeah, I just love the way that libraries have evolved alongside their communities in very real time."
The bipartisan continuing resolution back in March continued funding until September. But going forward, "that's a time when we all know we have a lot of fiscal challenges in Maryland," Lehr-Miller says.
"The lack of certainty and the risk for these funds makes it really challenging for libraries to rely on them and for us to be able to commit to them going forward."
Morgan Lehr-Miller says the state agency has had to look at cutting all sorts of services if funding is permanently cut.
She hopes that folks who love their libraries will reach out to their local branch to find out how they can help.
With the role these places have in our communities, librarians wonder what's so unnecessary.
"I can't say precisely why, but I can say that is especially unfortunate because there is no institution that is more deeply rooted and connected to its communities and the people who live in them than a local public library system."
