Open Letter to Our Community

Dear Patrons, Neighbors, and Friends of the Eckhart Public Library,

On behalf of the Eckhart Public Library staff and Board of Trustees, we want to express our gratitude for your unwavering support and dedication. As a community deeply invested in the success of its library, we feel it is important to bring to your attention to a significant development affecting Eckhart Public Library and libraries across the nation.

Eckhart Public Library does not involve itself in political matters. Our mission to provide exceptional services, programs, and resources to enrich our diverse community is guided by a staunch commitment to neutrality. Our guiding principle is to provide access to information, and that is the purpose of this letter.

The White House recently issued an executive order to eliminate the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the sole federal agency supporting America's libraries. This order removes funding for the agency responsible for providing financial support for books, databases, digitization programs, resource sharing, and training for library workers nationwide. Additionally, Indiana HB 1001 proposes a 30% cut to the Indiana State Library’s (ISL) budget and cuts the state portion of funding for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. The amended Indiana SB1 is projected to reduce public library funding by over $12.2 million statewide in 2026, with deeper reductions in subsequent years. Without stable funding, Indiana libraries - and the communities they serve - will face lasting impacts.

While the majority of Eckhart Public Library’s funding comes from local property taxes, we do receive support from IMLS through services provided through the Indiana State Library. Some of these services and resources include:

• Indiana Digital Library consortium providing access to thousands of eBooks, eAudiobooks, eMagazines, and videos through services such as Libby, Hoopla, and Kanopy.
• INSPIRE, supporting learners of all ages through a digital collection of scholarly databases.
• Info Express, allowing transport of library materials around the state via a courier service, expanding our resource offerings.
• TALK, a text messaging service that provides early childhood education tips to parents.
• Books and Materials for the Blind, Visually Impaired and People with Print Disabilities, offering our patrons access to these resources directly from the Indiana State Library.
• Indiana History Digitization, providing our patrons access to Indiana Memory and Hoosier State Chronicles through the ISL website.

We refer any interested persons to seek additional information at the Indiana Library Federation website at https://www.ilfonline.org/advocacy.

We know that our community loves its library, and we thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Valerie Simmons

Executive Director, Eckhart Public Library

vsimmons@epl.lib.in.us

Eckhart Public Library Board of Trustees:

Barbara Morrow, Board President

David Brown, Vice President

William Schaab, Treasurer

Connie Fullerton, Secretary

Pete Kempf, Member-at-Large

Amy Norton, Member-at-Large

Nora Schwartz, Member-at-Large