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Lowell library staff warn council of federal IMLS cuts after $4,000 grant rescinded
Summary
A Pollard Memorial Library employee told the council a $4,000 grant was rescinded after the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) was targeted for elimination, and urged the city to monitor and consider steps to replace lost statewide database and program funding.
A representative of the Pollard Memorial Library told the Lowell City Council that the library is already feeling the effect of uncertain federal funding after a $4,000 IMLS (Institute of Museum and Library Services) grant was rescinded.
Caitlin Baker, a library assistant at the Pollard Memorial Library, said IMLS is the primary federal funder for libraries and museums and that the March executive order to eliminate IMLS “to the fullest extent of the law” threatens programs statewide. She said the lost $4,000 had been slated to expand the library’s new‑reader and world‑language collections, materials the library uses to serve Lowell’s immigrant community and support English‑language tutoring programs.
Baker told council that statewide databases funded in part through IMLS and state allocations support tens of thousands of uses by Lowell residents and students. "Lowell students and residents are doing a lot of research," she said, and noted rising usage numbers for services such as PebbleGo and Encyclopedia Britannica. Baker said the library is exploring ways to replace the funding but warned that continued cuts would strain city budgets and service lines.
Councilors asked the manager’s office for more information about how much Lowell receives through federal‑to‑state Library Commission allocations and whether the city could offset small losses through internal transfers. Several councilors said a manager report on the potential local impacts and options to mitigate funding cuts would be helpful.
Clarifying details: Baker cited a rescinded $4,000 grant for the Pollard Memorial Library; she said the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners receives about $3.6 million in federal funds that are distributed across statewide programs and small local grants. Councilors asked the city manager and finance staff to include local grant‑impact figures in a follow‑up report.
The council approved a motion to request a report from the city manager on potential shortfalls from federal funding and options for the city to respond.
