Utah State Library outlines $2 million in annual IMLS funds, training and new initiatives

Marilee Cannon, library development manager at the Utah State Library, outlined how her office supports libraries statewide by administering IMLS funds, running training programs and offering direct consulting to library directors.

"The biggest piece of that job is to collect data for IMLS from all the public libraries in the state," Cannon said, describing data collection that covers circulation, collections, budgets, programs and visits. She explained some of the collected data "is used to help calculate federal dollars to states." Cannon said the library oversees roughly "$2,000,000 every year" in IMLS-related funds that pay for internal subscriptions like OverDrive and for competitive grants to local libraries.

The development team also manages statewide training. Cannon described purchases and programs used by library staff, including Niche Academy and WebJunction, and the annual three-day Director's Summit, which she said typically draws about 50 directors. She noted internal staff work—led by Rachel Linehan—plans Summit content a year in advance.

Cannon said the Utah Public Library Institute (Uplift) offers six courses annually, now migrating content into a Canvas learning environment and incorporating in-person components where required. She emphasized local variation in programming: "At a public library, you'd have the opportunity to sign up for the summer reading program and whatever's happening, whatever that means on a local level," noting that the 2025 summer reading theme is "Color Our World."

On technology and innovation, Cannon said the library’s technology and innovation coordinator, Alan, led a technology inventory survey with "100% participation" from libraries; the state is awaiting an executive summary from partner Connected Nations. Cannon also said Utah participates in SLATE (State Library Agency Artificial Intelligence Technology Working Group) to explore AI uses in libraries.

Staffing and administration changes were also announced: Cannon said the office includes five full-time and two part-time staff, and she introduced Patricia, a new contracts analyst who will handle sub-grant paperwork, trainer contracts and signatures. Cannon named Rachel Haberman as the staffer who oversees grant administration and reporting requirements.

Cannon described the development team's day-to-day services as consulting—"basically the librarians for librarians"—helping local directors address best practices, staffing and program issues and connecting them to peers with decades of experience. She also noted 27 Quality Libraries awards were issued this year, and that some recipients such as the Price and Helper libraries publicized their recognitions in local media.

Finally, Cannon outlined a seasonal outreach idea: a 'hygge' campaign that promotes cozy, relationship-centered reading experiences at local libraries and on the State Library’s Instagram. Hosts closed by thanking Cannon for the overview and emphasizing the development team's role in supporting Utah libraries.

The recording covered program responsibilities, grant management, training and outreach; there were no formal votes or policy actions taken during the interview.