fuckitfireeverything:

fuckitfireeverything:

hey American followers – if you like public libraries I’ve got some bad news for you

the Trump administration’s proposed budget plan for FY18 includes cutting all funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) which is….. bad. I’m my library system, IMLS pays 11% of our total annual budget, which doesn’t sound like much, but in a lot of rural areas or states without as much state-level support for libraries, IMLS is responsible for the bulk of their operating costs and loss of this funding could mean the complete closure of central branches and loss of library resources for entire communities

I talk about this a lot on here, but libraries aren’t just free books – they’re a crucial service for under-served communities, they provide job search assistance to job seekers, crucial early learning and literary skills to kids, they provide information and access to people with no other way of getting them, they provide free internet and computer access, a free and safe place to be for homeless people, for teenagers after school, for families who can’t afford expensive daycare, and many of them provide free lunches for kids in the summer who aren’t getting lunch because they aren’t in school, and countless other things

there are so many communities out there who cannot afford to lose this funding and to lose the support that their libraries provide

go read about this. go call your senator. America’s pretty fucked up right now, but if we’ve done one thing right, it’s libraries, and we can’t afford to lose them

TODAY IS THE DEADLINE FOR THE DEAR APPROPRIATOR LETTERS YOUR SENATOR CAN SIGN. IF YOU HAVEN’T CALLED YOUR SENATORS, CALL THEM TODAY.

you can click here to see if your Senator has already agreed to sign this year – if they haven’t CALL THEM NOW. there’s even a script on 5calls.org if you don’t know what to say:

Hi, my name is [NAME] and I’m a constituent from [TOWN/CITY].

I’m calling because I support federal funds for the Institute of Museum and Library Services. I ask Senator Chris Van Hollen to defend libraries by signing the “Dear Appropriator” letters supporting funding for the Library Services and Technology Act and the Innovative Approaches to Literacy program.

Thank you for your hard work answering the phones.

[IF LEAVING A VOICEMAIL: please leave your full street address to ensure your call is tallied]