FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
IMLS Press Contact
Giuliana Bullard, 202-653-4799
gbullard@imls.gov
Report on Condition of State Library Administrative Agencies Now Available
Washington, DC – The Institute of Museum and Library Services issued the State Library Administrative Agencies Survey: Fiscal Year 2014 report, which provides a view of the condition of state library administrative agencies in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
State libraries administer federal funds through the IMLS Grants to States program and play a crucial role in helping libraries within their state meet the demand for content and services by establishing statewide plans for library services, investing in technology and content, and providing support for local programming.
While the state libraries continued to offer a wide array of library services in 2014, the study results showed a multi-year pattern of decreases in revenues, expenditures, and staffing that coincided with the Great Recession of 2007-2009. The revenue from federal, state, and other sources to state library agencies totaled $1.1 billion in FY 2014, a 17 percent decrease in revenue from FY 2004.
IMLS Director Dr. Kathryn K. Matthew said, “With this report, we are better able to tell the story of how states responded differently to the economic decline during the Great Recession. We hope that researchers, library organizations, and many others will find the report and survey data available on IMLS.gov especially useful.”
The purpose of the survey is to provide state and federal policymakers, researchers, and other interested users with descriptive information about state library administrative agencies. The public use data files are also available on the IMLS website. This is the nineteenth release of the now biennial report since its inception in 1994.
The survey is a product of a cooperative effort among the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA) and IMLS.
For more information about the survey, report, or data files, see: https://www.imls.gov/research-evaluation/data-collection/state-library-administrative-agency-survey.
About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is celebrating its 20th Anniversary. IMLS is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. Our mission has been to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. For the past 20 years, our grant making, policy development, and research has helped libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.