[Libs-Or] State Library update

[CORNELISEN Wendy * SLO]

It's been another busy week!

The news from the Library of Congress has been top of mind for many of us. I will miss Dr. Hayden's leadership. The State Library's Talking Book and Braille Library<https://www.oregon.gov/library/print-disabilities/Pages/default.aspx>, which is a regional library of the Library of Congress National Library Service for the Blind, is fully operational and has had no interruption of service for the over 4,000 print-disabled Oregonians who use this free service.

All states and territories had their Digital Equity Capacity Grants cancelled as of May 9. Oregon had received and planned for spending $9.9 million<https://southernoregonbusiness.com/oregons-digital-equity-plan-approved-and-state-allocated-9-9-million-for-digital-equity/> to increase broadband access around the state.

The State Library has received all of the LSTA 2024 grant funds on April 25, 2025. These are the funds we are required to spend by Sept 30, 2025. That means we have in hand payroll (thru July 2025), can pay for all remaining planned services thru June 30, 2025, and can reimburse all remaining LSTA 2024 competitive subgrants.

As shared previously, the State Library received a partial notice award letter for 50% of the LSTA 2025 grant. Earlier this month, IMLS notified all state libraries that another award letter, for the full amount, will be released this month. LSTA 2025 funds must be spent by Sept 30, 2026.

This notification, and the language in the attached Preliminary Injunction issued this week, makes me feel more confident that the LSTA 2025 full award letter will arrive in the coming days.

  *   Particularly points 5 & 6, which spells out that no further failures to disperse funds and directs immediate steps to resume disbursement of already-awarding funding.

At this time, no LSTA 2025 competitive subgrants have been issued, and they will not be awarded before the receipt of a full LSTA 2025 award letter. Additionally, we'll be looking at ways to get funds distributed as quickly as possible. There are limitations, both at the state and federal level, which we will explore before issuing any LSTA 2025 competitive subgrants. It may be that the risks are too great to distribute any competitive subgrants in this season of uncertainty.

The State Library's budget bill, HB5017,<https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2025R1/Measures/Overview/HB5017> had a work session on Thursday, May 15. These are the funds the State Library will spend from July 2025-June 2027. While the state's economic revenue forecast is lower than earlier this year, the State Library's budget was held at Current Service Level. There were no reductions and no additions. The budget bill continues and will next be voted on by the full Ways and Means Committee and is official when it is signed by the Governor.

In these hard times, I hope you're taking care of yourself. This article When Purpose Feels Uncertain_ Navigating Well-Being in a Humanitarian Sector in Crisis<https://headington-institute.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/When-Purpose-Feels-Uncertain_-Navigating-Well-Being-in-a-Humanitarian-Sector-in-Crisis.pdf> has some suggestions you might also find helpful.

Thank you for all that you do!

Take care,

Wendy

Wendy Cornelisen (she, her, hers)
State Librarian
State Library of Oregon
wendy.cornelisen at slo.oregon.gov<mailto:wendy.cornelisen at slo.oregon.gov>
Office: 503-378-4367| Mobile 971-375-3992
www.oregon.gov/library<http://www.oregon.gov/library>
[Title: State Library of Oregon]

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/libs-or/attachments/20250516/4e040207/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 20692 bytes
Desc: image001.png
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/libs-or/attachments/20250516/4e040207/attachment.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Rhode Island v. Trump PI Order.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 196779 bytes
Desc: Rhode Island v. Trump PI Order.pdf
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/libs-or/attachments/20250516/4e040207/attachment.pdf>