Wylie Library warns interlibrary loan and several online resources may be cut if state and federal subsidies lapse

At its April meeting, Wylie Library staff told the Wylie Library Advisory Board that uncertainty over federal funding and proposed state bills could force the library to reduce or charge for services patrons now use free.

Library staff said the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has effectively been shut down for the moment, placing at-risk state subsidies administered through the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) that help pay for the interlibrary loan courier and several subscription databases. "The reason that poses a problem for us is that they provide grants for the Texas State Library that helps pay for some of our services," the staff member said. "We did over, I wanna say, 2,500 interlibrary loans last year or the year before last and I think it was closer to 2,000 last year."

Why it matters

The library relies on TSLAC subsidies to provide statewide resources that would be unaffordable for a single municipal…