Libraries across the nation are struggling, and in some cases closing, following President Donald Trump’s executive order dismantling the Institute of Museum and Library Services, which distributes federal grants. However, San Luis Obispo County libraries will not see an impact to core services.
“For libraries, as a whole, it is certainly significantly impactful. For us locally here in San Luis Obispo, while we’ve taken advantage of grants that the state runs on behalf of the IMLS, it is not something that’s going to be showstopper for us,” Christopher Barnickel, SLO County director of libraries, told Estero Bay News. “As far as what you look at as the core service of the library, of being able to keep 14 branches open, have staff there to service the public, having books that are available — There is no direct impact.”
In 2024, IMLS awarded $266.7 million through grantmaking, research and policy development, to advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations. It serves 35,000 museums and 123,000 libraries across the country.
“We are deeply disappointed by this ill-informed decision, which immediately affects critical programs supported by these funds,” said Rebecca Wendt, California deputy state librarian, in an agency new release. “The California State Library remains committed to serving all of the people of California and will explore alternative means to ensure continued access to essential library services.”
On April 2, the California State Library lost a nearly $16 million grant for the current fiscal year under the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), which is funded by IMLS. These state and federal grants fund early learning and literacy programs, such as storytimes and play spaces for low-income families, summer reading initiatives that engage over a million children and teens, and programs that help at-risk youth develop workforce-readiness skills. Additionally, LSTA funds have enabled State Library staff to assist with the expansion of the Student Success Card program, ensuring that all California students receive a public library card by third grade.
Locally, grants for the popular Tool Lending Library were secured through state-administered IMLS funds via the LSTA. Funding for high-speed broadband at all locations will also take a hit.
“What we’re concerned about locally,” Barnickel said, “is that while we’ve been able to take advantage of those opportunities in the past, they may not present themselves in the future. Again, I want to be very clear that our core services will not be directly impacted.”
Another grant lost in the cuts was $20,000 to purchase material that offered a “more diverse outlook on families and allowed, from early literacy a reflection of diversity for kids to read” Barnickel said.
“What people seem to fail to realize is that the library serves everyone, and every taxpayer contributes to the funding of the library. So, the suggestion of a politician that we don’t want this material in the hands of our patrons is obtuse, obscene, narrow minded and short sighted. The fact of the matter is we have people with different opinions, different views, all of whom are contributing to our communities and to the funding of the local library.”
What sets the SLO library system apart from State libraries is funding is predominately through property taxes.
“We are very fortunate in that we’re isolated from a lot of that because of local property taxes providing our budget,” Barnickel said.
Another thing that sets our county libraries apart, is that as a director, Barnickel is afforded Civil Service protection meaning community members or organizations can’t decide that certain books need to be removed nor threaten the director’s job for not adhering to their demands.
“We are a nation of diversity,” Barnickel said. “The idea that we are going to further marginalize at-risk or marginalized populations, is not the American way. It’s not good for anyone. It is certainly alarming. Even though we are not looking at direct impacts here, I appreciate that people are still very cognizant of it. We are not in a place where ‘it doesn’t affect us, so it doesn’t matter.’ That is not the case. I think an action like this bring more awareness and advocacy for libraries.”
In 2024, the SLO County Library system checked out about a half a million items.
On April 7, California Attorney General Rob Bonta joined a coalition of 21 attorneys general in a lawsuit against the Trump Administration, “challenging the Trump Administration’s unlawful Executive Order No. 14238 (Closure Order) directing several Congressionally-established agencies, including the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Minority Business Development Agency, and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, to eliminate every component and function not required by statute and reduce their statutorily required functions and associated staff to the minimum required by law.”
In a statement, Bonta said, “The Trump Administration is once again violating the U.S. Constitution and the rule of law by attempting to unilaterally shut down agencies the President doesn’t like, including agencies that give the public access to facts, knowledge, and cultural heritage for free or at low cost. Dismantling these agencies would have a devastating impact on the public and on states across the nation — they provide important services for Americans and collectively provide billions of dollars to States to support libraries and museums, innovation and entrepreneurship for disadvantaged businesses, and help resolve labor disputes.”
California libraries employ approximately 17,000 employees who staff the State’s 1,127 libraries and serve 23 million California library card holders, according to Bonta.
Attorney General Bonta joined the lawsuit alongside the attorneys general of New York, Rhode Island, Hawaii, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.
