1 week Ago
The Maine State Library in Augusta laid off 13 staff members Wednesday, nearly one-third of its staff, and announced that it would close for two weeks after a suspension of some federal funding. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal The Maine State Library laid off 13 staff members Wednesday, nearly one-third of its staff, and announced that it would close for two weeks to restructure its operations after the Trump administration indefinitely suspended certain federal funds. The library last received funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services on March 24 and has not gotten any updates on when — or whether — payments may resume, State Librarian Lori Fisher said in a written statement.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring the IMLS “unnecessary” and vowing to eliminate or nearly eliminate it. Weeks later, he placed the federal agency’s entire staff on a 90-day leave , sparking fears of potential impacts to Maine’s libraries and services like interlibrary loan. The 13 terminated positions in Maine were supported by IMLS funding, which overall makes up around 30% of the State Library’s annual budget, Fisher said.
The terminations may be reversed if funding is restored, she said. “Losing access to this federal funding harms Maine residents and will have negative consequences in communities across the state,” Fisher said in a written statement. “Despite these significant cuts, the Maine State Library remains committed to advancing the mission of libraries in Maine and to serving every library patron to the best of our ability.
” The state library took in more than $1.5 million in federal money during the 2024 fiscal year, Fisher said. It received similar amounts in the two prior years.
Its main office, located on State Street in Augusta, will close for two weeks starting Thursday, Fisher said. Maine’s rural libraries at risk as Trump guts agency that provides federal funding We believe it’s important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way.
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