Dear Editor:

As a Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library trustee, I strongly oppose any efforts to defund the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), an institution vital to the success of public libraries nationwide.

IMLS funding supports essential services such as library internet access and the interlibrary loan (ILL) service. Last year, BHML patrons requested 6,000+ items through the ILL service, and sent out another 6,000+ to other libraries.

As a nonprofit organization, BHML relies on fundraising and gifts from the towns of Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor to keep our doors open. Financially, there is no room in our budget to shift funding to cover these losses, which means either services will be cut, or the cost burden will be passed along to our community and local governments. Ethically, this loss of funding also weakens our country’s commitment to free and fair access to information, a cornerstone of democracy.

Please join me in urging our lawmakers and community members to recognize the invaluable role that libraries play in fostering education, growth, and civic engagement by fully funding the IMLS.

Desiree Scorcia

Trustee

Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library