Open Letter to Hawaiʻi's Congressional Delegation re: Executive Order Dismantling IMLS

by Kelly Campbell

March 21, 2025
Hawaiʻi Library Association
P.O. Box 4441
Honolulu, HI 96812-4441

Aloha e Senators Schatz and Hirono and Representatives Case and Tokuda,

On behalf of the Hawaiʻi Library Association, we are writing to urge you to strongly oppose any efforts to dismantle the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS). On Friday night, March 14, President Trump issued an Executive Order​ intended to dismantle the IMLS. For Hawaiʻi, the resulting loss of programs supported by IMLS would have a direct adverse impact on communities throughout the state, disproportionately harming children, seniors, job seekers, and students who rely on an array of free library services.

Libraries are vital hubs for lifelong learning, workforce development, and community programming. The grants provided by the IMLS help libraries expand their digital resources, support early childhood literacy programs, and offer job training initiatives that empower individuals seeking employment. 

Each year, states receive critical funding through the Library Services and Technology Act – Grants to States. Hawaiʻi receives about $1.5M each year. Hawaiʻi’s public libraries use these funds to ensure access to the internet, technology, collections, and digital and physical resources that support reading and learning. This includes ebooks, audiobooks, and databases for research and learning. 

In Hawaiʻi, public libraries are a vital resource for many of our rural communities, especially on the neighbor islands. Rural and underserved communities will lose access to critical resources.  

IMLS also supports Hawaiʻi’s archives and museums. Archives and museums serve as stewards of our history and culture, fostering understanding and appreciation of the past while inspiring future generations. Without the support of IMLS, our cultural institutions will be at risk of losing our unique and diverse history.

We strongly urge you to publicly oppose the proposed cuts and to actively support legislation that protects IMLS services and funding. 

Thank you for your time and your service. We appreciate your leadership and respectfully ask that you do everything in your power to protect the IMLS and the vital work it enables.

Mahalo nui loa,
Kelly Ann Campbell
President
Hawaiʻi Library Association