Grand Haven, MI (WGHN) – On March 14, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order that seeks to eliminate the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the nation’s only federal agency for America’s libraries and museums. IMLS dollars routed to the State of Michigan fund the Michigan eLibrary (MeL), as well as a state-wide interlibrary loan service called MeLCat.
MeL provides statewide access to nearly 40 subscription-based eResources, containing vetted websites on business, jobs, legal, health, government, books and literacy, kids,
and teens.
Other components of the Michigan eLibrary include:
• Michigan Online Resources for Educators: Curricular-based resources and
lesson plans aligned to state and national standards, and used by local
educators.
• Learning Express Library: Online learning platform for High School
Equivalency, College Preparation, Undergrad Studies, Career Development,
Adult Learning, K-12 Schools, and Recursos para Hispanohablantes.
• Auto Repair Source: Repair information and schedules, diagrams, parts and
labor estimates, service alerts, and recalls for thousands of domestic and
imported vehicles.
• MeLCat: A statewide borrowing system of over 430 libraries.
In 2024, the MeLCat program saw Michigan libraries lend over one million books and
other materials. Through MeL, students and other residents last year accessed over 19
million electronic articles, journals, and other online resources to do homework,
research, prepare for tests, and more.
In the last year, residents in the Grand Haven area borrowed over 1,500 books through the MeLCat program, and the Loutit District Library loaned out over 1,700 books to other Michigan libraries and residents. The MeLCat program has helped place books that people otherwise wouldn’t have access to in the hands of our community. If IMLS funding is eliminated, local library users will have less access to books and other library materials.
While most revenue for public libraries in Michigan comes from local property taxes, the most significant impact of the potential loss of IMLS funding could be the elimination of MeL and MeLCat. In Michigan, these federally funded programs provide a hard return on investment of $27 per tax dollar.
This means for every $1 invested in libraries across the state, Michiganders see $27 in received value. [Source: Michigan Library Association]
The changes to IMLS negatively affect Michigan’s public, academic, and school libraries. It also affects museums and history organizations that serve our communities, including some of our long-time community partners, the Tri-Cities Historical Museum and the Midwest Miniatures Museum.
The Loutit District Library encourages community members to share their thoughts on these changes with House and Senate representatives.
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