‘After all our hard work’: Federal fallout hits South Dakota libraries
Books sharing between libraries could be limited, or come with a cost to patrons
Checking out some books through local libraries could soon cost more than a standard library card fee.
Libraries were instructed this week to immediately suspend use of the state’s interlibrary loan courier program.
The courier service transports books and other library materials across South Dakota from the libraries that have them to those that don’t, typically faster and more efficiently than would be possible though the U.S. Postal Service.
The State Library relies on federal funding from the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to pay for the program.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order in March directing the head of that federal agency — which provides a federal grant that funds around half of the South Dakota State Library’s services — to cut its operations to the “maximum extent allowable by law.”
Former Gov. Kristi Noem sought to cut state library funding in her proposed budget to a level too low for the state to continue receiving federal matching funds. The state Legislature, however, approved a pared-back library budget large enough for the state to maintain access to about $1.4 million in IMLS funding.
While South Dakota hasn’t gotten confirmation its funding is cut, Department Secretary Joe Graves told the state Board of Education Standards on Monday, the federal government notified other states they’re receiving cuts.
“South Dakota, at least to my knowledge as of 8 a.m. this morning, hasn’t heard. So we don’t know what’s going on with that,” Graves said Monday.
Email to librarians signals service loss
The State Library cannot renew the contract with its interlibrary loan courier service at the end of April because of “uncertainty” about funding, according to an email sent to librarians that same day, which was reviewed by South Dakota Searchlight.
The education department did not immediately respond to a request to verify the email, for details on why it was sent, or for any other impacts to the State Library expected as a result of the Trump executive order.
Department of Education Spokeswoman Nancy Van Der Weide told South Dakota Searchlight recently that “we do not have a clear indication” of what might happen with future grant funding.
Congress authorized grant funding through federal fiscal year 2025. The department “is waiting on a grant award” for 2025, Van Der Weide wrote in an email last month.
Libraries could charge for, limit service
About 70 percent of South Dakota libraries share books with each other through interlibrary loan, according to the State Library website. Without the courier service, local libraries and governments will need to pay to ship books to other libraries across the state, according to South Dakota Library Association President Elizabeth Fox. That costs an average of $5 an item each way, she said.
To pick up the new cost, local libraries could limit how many interlibrary loans an individual can make, or charge a fee when someone requests an interlibrary loan.
“Each library will have to determine how they deal with this,” Fox said.
Hill City Public Library Director Tammy Alexander plans to discuss the impact with members of her library’s board of directors next week. She sent requested books through the mail yesterday to Brookings and Chamberlain libraries.
“Like all budgets right now, even our small city budget will have cuts for 2026,” Alexander said. “My board will have to decide if they’ll allow me to include that.”
The State Library also pays for subscription-based academic databases, accessible at no cost through any public library in the state. It also provides support for summer reading programs, organizes professional development workshops, and offers Braille and talking book services for readers with disabilities.
Noem’s proposed cut would have pared down services to those last two items.
‘This is disheartening,’ lawmaker says
Lawmakers softened budget cuts this winter with the expectation they’d budgeted enough money to preserve the IMLS federal grant funding. The plan spared the jobs of all but 3.5 State Library employees, but dissolved the board that oversees the State Library.
Rep. Terri Jorgenson, R-Piedmont, worked closely with the Education Department on the compromise.
“After all our hard work we put into this to restructure and save this program, this is disheartening,” Jorgenson said.
Interlibrary loans are crucial for homeschool students as well as students in public and private schools, she told South Dakota Searchlight on Tuesday. Burdening local governments with shipping costs and potentially passing the cost onto families will add up quickly.
Jorgenson and other lawmakers will need to explore funding options for library programming in the wake of the news, she said.
“Ultimately, this means we’re going to have to get creative,” Jorgenson said, “to save money and work to still provide this important service.”
Content courtesy of South Dakota Searchlight.
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How do you know a country is failing? When it punishes it's kids and students for the failures of its leaders and adults. 38 trillion in debt and sharing books is on the chopping block? Great work everyone!
Millions of tax dollars to facilitate the President's golfing trips to Florida, but God forbid people should have expanded access to books. That's what we get with an administration that doesn't value knowledge, led by a man who doesn't read. Shameful.