The End of Inter Library Loan Services: #FundLibraries

It is official—if the Institute of Museum and Library Services Grant is not funded, the 800# Interlibrary Loan and Reference Back-up Service, a granted position paid for by the State of Alaska will come to an end on June 30^th. What this means is, come May 7^th, Alaska libraries can no longer reach out for any ILLs out of state. The Anchorage Public Library system will still allow a few but ALL ILL materials must be returned by June 15^th and at that time, the program will be shut down.

The 800# ILL Service has been funded for over 20 years, enabling small and rural l libraries across Alaska to supplement their collections by borrowing materials from other libraries. But it is a granted position funded by the state of Alaska.

• Last year 4,037 materials were loaned across Alaska through this system, and the number has been increasing every year.
• The Gustavus Bookclub, the yearly Battle of the Books competition, and homeschoolers especially will be greatly impacted by this loss.
• The Public Library Assistance Grant money we receive every year which is the majority of our materials budget could also be affected. (There will be another email to follow regarding the PLA Grant funding specifically.)
• SLED, the Statewide Library Electronic Doorway that provides free information resources for, about, and by Alaskans may also lose funding.  https://lam.alaska.gov/sled
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A have attached a PDF with an outline of what to say, and the contact information for Alaska’s public officials. Please call them as much as possible. Here is an article published on April 17^th How loss of federal funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) will harm marginalized communities in the Northwest