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<p class="MsoNormal">Oregon library community,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thank you for your work. Libraries are essential to communities, and I’m so proud of the work that you’re doing every day for Oregonians.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Many of you have heard and asked about the now blocked and rescinded order to
<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/28/trump-pauses-grants-loans">
freeze all federal payments on grants and loans</a>. Some programs offered by the State Library are federally funded, as are a few of the grants or projects at some of your local libraries. We want to provide you context regarding federal funding and State
Library services. <span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt">Federal funds from the <a href="https://www.imls.gov/find-funding/funding-opportunities/grants-to-states/purpose-and-priorities-of-lsta">
Library Services and Technology Act</a> (LSTA) Grants to States program were among the programs that would have been halted under the order.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt">LSTA accounts for about a quarter of the State Library’s
<a href="https://www.oregon.gov/library/operations/Documents/54300%20-%20State%20Library.pdf">
biennial budget</a>, and about two-thirds of the Library Support and Development Services (LS) division’s budget.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt">The <a href="Institute%20of%20Museum%20and%20Library%20Services">
Institute of Museum and Library Services</a> (IMLS), the federal agency that oversees LSTA, has indicated that there currently is no freeze on our LSTA funding.
<b>Our access to this funding has not been interrupted.</b> We have also not been asked to change how or what we use our federal funding for based on other recent executive orders.
<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt">All grant applications and other LSTA-funded projects are proceeding as planned.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt">LSTA dollars fund a number of services used by libraries across Oregon:<o:p></o:p></span></li><ul style="margin-top:0in" type="circle">
<li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level2 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt">Two-thirds of <a href="https://www.oregon.gov/library/libraries/Pages/Contact.aspx">
LS staff</a>, including consultants who advise on public libraries, children’s and teen services, early literacy, digital equity, continuing education, community outreach, reference services, school libraries, intellectual freedom, digitization, and public
library data.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level2 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt">The <a href="https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/SDLP_FAQ/">
Statewide Database Licensing Program</a>, which includes statewide access to the Gale suite of electronic resources as well as subsidies to academic libraries to purchase more appropriate content for their needs.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level2 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt">Statewide access to <a href="https://www.ireadprogram.org/">
iREAD Summer Reading Programs</a> for all public libraries.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level2 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt"><a href="https://www.northwestdigitalheritage.org/">Northwest Digital Heritage</a>, which aggregates digital collections from libraries, museums, and other institutions around the Pacific Northwest and makes them searchable in
one place.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level2 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt">Various grant programs including annual <a href="https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/lstagrants/competitive">
competitive grants</a>, <a href="https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/lstagrants/teeninterns">
teen internship grants</a>, and <a href="https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/lstagrants/awards">
other opportunities</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></li><ul style="margin-top:0in" type="square">
<li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level3 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt">Please note that Ready to Read grants are <i>not</i> federally funded. Those grants are funded through from the State’s General Fund.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level2 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt">Statewide and regional projects such as the <a href="https://www.sagelib.org/">
Sage Library System</a> courier, the <a href="https://library2go.overdrive.com/">
Oregon Digital Library Consortium/Library2Go</a>, and digitization of Chemawa Indian School materials and Tribal newspapers.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level2 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt">A wide variety of programs operated by the Oregon Library Association including
<a href="https://www.oregonbattleofthebooks.org/">Oregon Battle of the Books</a>,
<a href="https://www.librosfororegon.org/">Libros for Oregon</a>, <a href="https://oslis.org/">
OSLIS</a>, <i><a href="https://www.olaweb.org/ola-edi-antiracism-committee---Podcast">Overdue: Weeding Out Oppression in Libraries</a></i> podcast, and
<a href="https://www.olaweb.org/ola-edi-antiracism-scholarships">professional development scholarships</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level2 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt"><a href="https://answerland.org/">Answerland</a>, the state’s 24/7 online library chat reference service.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level2 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt">A variety of <a href="https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/conted">
continuing education opportunities</a> for Oregon library staff and volunteers including the
<a href="http://my.nicheacademy.com/oregonstaff">Oregon Library Staff Academy</a> on Niche Academy,
<a href="https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/publibboard/training">library board resources</a> such as the newly released
<a href="https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/publibboard/handbook">board handbook</a>, and special training such as the
<a href="https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/conted/leadingwithequity">Libraries Leading with Equity</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
</ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Right now, our federal funds are available. There’s still a lot that we don’t know. We will keep you updated as we are able.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We cannot predict what federal actions will be taken. However, we are keeping informed of developments. The State Library remains committed to the
<a href="https://www.oregon.gov/library/libraries/Documents/LSTA/2023-2027LSTAFiveYearPlanSummary.pdf">
priorities and objectives</a> established in our current LSTA plan, including and especially our commitments to support your efforts to make libraries more equitable, diverse, inclusive, and antiracist. We made those commitments based on clear feedback from
you, the State of Oregon’s <a href="https://www.oregon.gov/das/Docs/DEI_Action_Plan_2021.pdf">
DEI Action Plan</a>, and simply because it is the right thing to do. Until we are told otherwise and as long as we have the funds to do so, the State Library will continue supporting this and the other essential work being done with LSTA funds in Oregon.
<span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you have any questions, please reach out to Program Manager for Library Support Buzzy Nielsen (<a href="mailto:buzzy.nielsen@slo.oregon.gov">buzzy.nielsen@slo.oregon.gov</a>, 971-375-3486) or me. We may not have answers, but we will
listen.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">Thanks,
</span><span style="color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">Wendy
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:black">Wendy Cornelisen (she, her, hers)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%">State Librarian</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%">State Library of Oregon<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%"><a href="mailto:wendy.cornelisen@slo.oregon.gov"><span style="color:#0563C1">wendy.cornelisen@slo.oregon.gov</span></a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%">Office: 503-378-4367| Mobile 971-375-3992<br>
<a href="http://www.oregon.gov/library"><span style="color:#0563C1">www.oregon.gov/library</span></a><u><span style="color:#0563C1"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><img border="0" width="218" height="61" style="width:2.2708in;height:.6354in" id="Picture_x0020_27" src="cid:image001.png@01DB7EB7.42CA22E0" alt="Title: State Library of Oregon"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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