Dear Editor,
I would like to bring to your attention The Institute For Museum and Library Services Executive Order. Services are threatened.
The March 23 Manchester Journal quoted Starr LaTronica, the director of Brooks, about the cuts to essential library services, including staffing, purchasing large print books, and inter-library loan service. (Vermont’s 228 libraries shared 95,000 books last year.)
The Institute is the largest source of federal funding for all libraries and museums.
Ed Surjan, director of the Manchester Community Library, is quoted, as is Erica Shott, director of the Dorset Library. Dena Marger, a librarian in Dummerston, also expressed the discontinuation of the Summer Reads Program as “devastating.”
The American Library Association called this order an “assault” and “ short-sighted”.
Please call U.S. Sen. Welch at 202-224-4242, Sen. Sanders at 202-224-5141, and Rep. Balint at 202-225-4115 to express your opinion of this Trump chaotic order.
Kathryn Adams, Rutland
