Idaho libraries seek ongoing authority to spend federal digital-access awards; lawmakers press for details on summer reading materials

The Idaho Commission for Libraries asked the Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee on Wednesday to add ongoing spending authority for federal grants supporting broadband and digital‑literacy programs, while lawmakers pressed agency officials for more detail about how summer reading materials are selected for children.

Brooke Dupree, a budget and policy analyst with the Legislative Services Office, opened the presentation and told the committee the commission is implementing a federal Digital Access for All Idahoans grant funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Dupree said the agency seeks $2,500,000 in ongoing authority tied to that federal program and a $42,400 ongoing broadband reimbursement tied to the Education Opportunity Resource Act (Idaho Code, Title 33, Chapter 56) to reimburse eligible libraries. “This is for the Education Opportunity Resource Act ... and provides reimbursement to Idaho libraries that are eligible,” Dupree said.

Why it matters: the commission says the NTIA grant is intended to increase device access, digital navigation and digital‑skills training across Idaho. State lawmakers asked for an itemized plan showing how subgrants and purchases will be allocated; committee members also raised concerns about the possibility that a time‑limited federal program could create an expectation that the state will continue funding after federal awards end.

What the agency told lawmakers

Stephanie Bailey White, state librarian and director of the Idaho Commission for Libraries, said Idaho was the third state to receive an allocation of the NTIA funds but did not receive those notices of award until November, delaying program implementation. “We were the third state in the nation to receive our allocation of funds, but they didn't roll in until November,” Bailey White said.

Bailey White said the commission has launched a subgrant process: roughly 80% of the funds are planned to go out as subgrants to community organizations, community colleges, school districts and libraries. She said the first round produced 39 applications and that subgrantees are expected to hire “digital navigators” to provide one‑on‑one assistance, increase local tech support and run digital skills training. “They're going to be hiring digital navigators, beefing up digital skills, providing tech support for people in communities who don't have access to that now,” Bailey White told the committee.

Committee concerns and follow‑up requests

Several committee members asked for additional documentation: an itemized accounting of how prior federal and state funds were spent on summer reading and STEM programs, the commission’s rubric for NTIA subgrants, and a projection of what would happen if future NTIA notices of award do not arrive. Senator Carlson asked for details about the $6,000,000 figure mentioned in earlier materials and about how the commission ensures materials provided to children are appropriate.

On summer reading materials, Bailey White said the commission provides manuals and low‑cost paperback books to libraries and that a long‑standing donation from the Scottish Rite Foundation supplies a book discount and about $17,500 in books this year; she also said the commission encourages libraries to use books rather than trinket prizes. “We have 107,000 kids who participated in summer reading programs last year,” Bailey White said, noting a roughly 30% increase over the prior year. She said the commission’s youth services consultant — a librarian with a library science degree — selects the donated paperback sets using collection‑development criteria.

Process and timeline

Dupree and Bailey White said the NTIA grant includes multiple future notices of funding opportunities and that the commission will score competitive subgrant applications on a rubric and return them to NTIA for federal review before contracting and monitoring recipients. Dupree said the commission expects additional notices of award over the next several years and therefore requests ongoing spending authority now; both Dupree and the director offered to provide committees with a more detailed breakdown of how funds have been spent in the past two years and a plan for the remaining years of the grant.

Actions and status

The commission presented multiple budget enhancement requests to the committee: an ongoing $42,400 broadband reimbursement program increase; federal subgrant spending authority tied to expected federal funds; and an ongoing request totaling $2,500,000 to implement Digital Access for All Idahoans. Committee members did not record a committee decision or vote on any request during the hearing; the requests were described and recommended in the governor’s budget book.

Ending

The commission offered to provide follow‑up materials, including a subgrant rubric, an itemized spending history for summer reading and a more detailed plan for how the Digital Access award will be spent over the remainder of the grant period. Committee members said they wanted those materials before making a budget decision.