Trump’s proposed budget threatens NC library programs, including shared books list
Advocates are warning the Trump administration’s proposed federal budget could leave libraries in North Carolina without longstanding funding that pays for services across the state.
President Donald Trump this month rolled out his federal spending pitch for the 2027 fiscal year, which begins on Oct. 1. The plan calls for defunding the federal agency that supports libraries — the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The administration previously attempted to shut down the institute, which also disburses federal dollars to museums nationwide.
North Carolina received about $5.9 million from the institute in fiscal year 2025, much of which went to the Library of North Carolina to pay for services used by libraries across the state, including Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library, and grants for local library systems.
Groups including the American Library Association say losing that money would jeopardize a variety of library-based services and are calling on Congress, who have much of the power over the federal budget, to protect the funding.
“These dollars fund a lot of essential services, whether we talk about digital skills training for all North Carolinians or online professional development for library staff … We don’t want to stop having adult literacy programs or support for AI training,” Brooks Rainwater, president and CEO of theUrban Libraries Council, told The Charlotte Observer.
What is the Institute of Museum and Library Services?
The institute was created by the federal government in 1996, but similar programs “have been going on for over 50 years,” Rainwater said.
How much money states receive is determined by population size, he added.
In North Carolina, much of the institute’s money flows through the state’s Department of Natural & Cultural Resources, which houses the Library of North Carolina. That number was about $5.12 million in fiscal year 2025, the department told the Observer.
“A portion of these funds go to statewide services and resources, with the majority being awarded to libraries across the state for projects meeting local community needs,” department spokeswoman Michele Walker said. Programs paid for by the federal money include NC Cardinal, which helps residents access materials available at libraries across the state through a shared catalog, and a digital literacy program.
The rest of the $5.9 million North Carolina got in fiscal year 2025 went to about $672,600 in grants awarded to three museums and a $150,000 grant for North Carolina A&T State University’s library.
Additional grants from the institute have also gone directly to libraries and museums in Charlotte in recent decades, including:
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library
- The Mint Museum
- Discovery Place
- The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts and Culture
- Johnson C. Smith University
- The Levine Museum of the New South
While Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library doesn’t currently receive direct funding from the institute, library spokeswoman Ajonelle Poole said the local system uses state programming paid for by the institute, including the NC Kids Digital Library and job search assistance.
Trump administration targets Institute of Museum and Library Services
The proposed 2027 budget is the second time the Trump administration has attempted to put an end to the institute.
The president signed an executive order in 2025 that would’ve eliminated it altogether alongside multiple federal agencies deemed “unnecessary.”
The American Library Association and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees sued to stop the closure and reached a settlement to keep the institute open just this month.
But advocates say zeroing out the institute’s money would achieve a similar effect.
“The president’s continued attack on IMLS in today’s budget and last year’s executive order to shutter IMLS shows the extent to which the administration is tone deaf to the needs of millions of Americans who rely on libraries every day,” the American Library Association said in a statement.
Advocates warn of impacts to North Carolina libraries
Rainwater said much of his organization and other groups’ attention is now focused on persuading members of the U.S. House and Senate to restore funding for the institute in their versions of the federal budget.
He said he’s “optimistic” that message will resonate in Congress.
“We’ve seen long-standing bipartisan support for IMLS. I think whether you’re Republican or Democrat, you understand the value of your local public library,” Rainwater said.
He’s hopeful people will reach out to their congressional representatives to express support for library funding and to their local and state leaders to encourage them to lobby for the institute too.
“These are such critical institutions for our communities, and reminding people of the value of them is always important for just a myriad of reasons,” Rainwater said.
