Chattahoochee Valley Libraries Face Budget Cuts Amid Proposed Elimination of Federal Funding

Janell Williams

Chattahoochee Valley Libraries are at risk of significant budget shortfalls because of an executive order by President Trump that aims to eliminate the Institute of Museum & Library Services, a key source of federal funding for public libraries.

“For us, it's supplemental,” said the Chattahoochee Valley Library System Director Alan Harkness. “It's not going to impact us in terms of staffing, but it will impact us in terms of funding. We get federal funds through our state library agency—the Georgia Public Library Service—that offset our internet costs. So we would have to find more money to pay for internet, for example.”

IMLS funding supports essential services for libraries across the region, including reliable internet access, educational programs and services for the blind and print-disabled. Without this funding, the library system faces a potential loss of more than $100,000, which severely could impact their ability to provide these services.

“There are several hundred people in the Chattahoochee Valley who take advantage of that service (blind and print-disabled) and who can't always speak up for themselves,” Harkness said. “It would be a sad thing that we would not be able to support their reading as we have been.”

Among the programs at risk is the Summer Reading program, which helps prevent learning loss and keeps children engaged during school breaks.

“Our state library agency uses federal dollars to help underwrite some of the Summer Reading Program costs for all the libraries across the state,” he said. “We’re lucky to have generous support from AFLAC locally, but we also rely on those state funds to help with part of that expense.”

Additionally, the statewide courier system, which facilitates interlibrary loans, could be eliminated, limiting access to books and resources for library patrons.

“The courier that runs across the state, taking materials back and forth between libraries—that’s paid for by federal dollars,” Harkness explained.

Chattahoochee Valley Libraries already are facing rising local costs, including a $481,000 increase in employee health benefits.

“The employer portion for health insurance has been going up steadily,” Harkness said. “When you have those kinds of increases, you have to find other places to pull those funds.”

Without federal support, library officials warn they may be forced to make difficult cuts that could reduce community access to critical resources, especially for those who rely on internet connectivity and tools like Galileo, the statewide digital research database.

“Students use Galileo all the time, and regular people as well,” he said. “If I have to budget for full internet because I won’t get the state help, then that’s what I’ll have to do.”

While the timeline of potential service cuts remains uncertain, the director emphasized that the effects could be far-reaching and abrupt.

“We really don’t know,” he said. “If you were a recipient of an IMLS grant, you might find that right in the middle of your implementation, suddenly the dollars are gone.”

Library advocates are calling on the public to contact their state and federal officials to protect IMLS funding, ensuring the continued strength of Chattahoochee Valley Libraries and their vital services to the community.

“If there are services that are important to people, they need to let their elected officials know,” Harkness said. “Libraries are really good values for public dollars. For every dollar spent on library services, the (return on investment) in most communities has been at least a $4 return or larger.”

To help support the advocacy effort, the library has posted resources at www.cvlga.org, including a suggested letter and contact information for elected officials.

“These cuts hurt the least of our populations and the people who need it most,” he added. “It’s unfortunate—the populations that are going to be hurt the most through this executive order are the ones who already have the least.”