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Elon can’t “gut” local libraries—local libraries are run by municipal governments and receive almost all their funding from there. Total U.S. public library an
by rayiner 2y ago
Elon can’t “gut” local libraries—local libraries are run by municipal governments and receive almost all their funding from there.
Total U.S. public library and museum spending is almost $14 billion: https://wordsrated.com/library-funding-statistics https://wordsrated.com/library-funding-statistics. This agency distributes about $250 million in federal support, which also supports museums.
- pmags 2y agoAs per the article: """ The IMLS has a $313 million annual budget and about 70 employees. Its stated goal is to “advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. Local libraries are mostly funded by local tax dollars, but the funding they do get from the federal government goes towards things like employee training and technology updates. This is especially critical in more remote areas. """ IMLS activities don't directly fund most libraries and museums but the training, surveys, but they have an impact on the quality of libraries and museums all over our country. I'd encourage HN readers to read about the work of IMLS directly: https://www.imls.gov https://www.imls.gov Or at least until the DOGE-ies destroy and/or censor the IMLS website (probably in progress).
- tptacek 2y agoI'm somewhat involved in local government in Chicagoland and so know where to look to get this figure: federal grants make up 0.2% of the Oak Park Public Library budget. Rayiner is right about this.
- AlecSchueler 2y agoWhere does funding have to come from for him to be able to gut an institution?