If there were a single word to capture the state of library cuts across the U.S. so far this year, that would be rough.

It is a rough time to be in libraries.

It is a rough time to care about libraries.

It is a rough time to watch as these democratic institutions have been forced to serve as social safety nets time and time again following budget cuts, only to see their budgets and staffing further whittled down.

The phrase “library cuts” encompasses many things. Most libraries don’t get annual budget increases. In fact, many libraries have had level funding for decades–they’re making ends meet and not adding extras. This is part of why public libraries are in disrepair or downright shambles: they don’t have the space in the budget to make necessary repairs. When we talk about “library cuts,” we mean cuts to staff, hours, and services. Often, cuts in one area one year lead to inevitable cuts in other areas in subsequent years. If you cut staff hours, you have fewer staff to cover opening hours, which means opening hours can be cut to “support” the staffing levels available. That, in turn, conveniently leaves room to cut the collections, too. There’s not enough staff to acquire and process materials, let alone handle the circulation and repair of those items (not to mention the lack of staff time to promote the sorts of digital materials available at the library!). Of note: once library hours are cut, they rarely ever come back.^

What’s not helping matters are tax cuts being imposed in Republican-led states. While appealing on the surface–income tax cuts and property tax cuts appeal to the voter who is feeling squeezed by increased costs in every other facet of life–what most people don’t realize is that those cuts will cause them more harm than good. If there are no property taxes or state income taxes, then there are no goods that those taxes were supporting. That means smaller fire departments, more poorly maintained parks and recreational options, and smaller library budgets.

I covered this last year, when it was just a handful of states playing the tax cut game. There are now reportedly 18 states considering this kind of option, and already, we’re seeing the direct impact on public libraries. See this story about what would happen to Des Moines Public Library in Iowa, or this one about Florida libraries, or this other one about Florida libraries, or this one about Wyoming libraries, or this one about Ohio, where last year republicans changed how public libraries are funded, more neatly setting up just this defunding possibility. Such tax-cutting measures have gained support because most of the populace has no idea how their local governments are funded and does not realize that short-term tax relief means long-term damage to local services they may depend on. There is a real education gap, fueled by politicians who succeed on misinformation and disinformation. Guess what happens when you then do damage to one of the few institutions in the community committed to helping the general public learn information literacy?

It’s a vicious, dangerous, and scary reality.

Libraries are already doing too much with too little. This is especially true for public libraries, which have had to take on roles ranging from public health (distributing masks during COVID, for example) to mental health services (while social workers on staff at libraries are a valuable service, it is not the library's purpose). This doesn’t touch on being heating centers, cooling centers, spaces for those experiencing houselessness to spend their time, serving as food banks, and so on. All of these things fall on the library because they once lived elsewhere, but thanks to cuts, cuts, cuts, they now have nowhere else to go. Libraries, wanting to both meet the needs of their communities AND retain their budgets, step up again and again. Even if it is to their own detriment.

Even if it inevitably means they’ll see that the things they’re there to provide are the ones that get cut when budgets get too tight. When budgets need to be reallocated from the public library to the police. Recall that every year, New Yorkers have to fight for the New York Public Library to be funded, but the New York Police Department has an 80-some person public relations team.

If libraries were better budgeted and if the previously slashed public services were still afloat, we’d need fewer police. (We already need fewer police).

So what’s the situation in 2026? It’s rough. It’s rough not only for public libraries but also for school and academic libraries. Let’s take a walk through what’s happening at these institutions of education, knowledge, and learning.

This is not a comprehensive look at library cuts in 2026. It can’t be. Most of the time, these stories–especially ones about “smaller” cuts to library materials budgets or to popular databases–don’t make the news. But this sampling is representative of what’s happening across libraries in the US right now. It is limited to US libraries, but it is worth noting that cuts are widespread and painful in Canada this year, too.*

Public Library Cuts

One thing you may notice is that many of the public libraries here serve communities where book censorship has affected local school libraries. This isn’t a shock. It’s the playbook.

Likewise, 2026 was when it became clear that the federal government's yanking of passport services from non-profit libraries would do tremendous damage to those libraries. You can learn about what that means here, but in short, small and rural non-profit libraries–funded differently than their public library peers, which are part of local government bodies, though they fulfill the same mission as their governmental peers**–depended upon the small amount of money they got from issuing passports. Without the ability to do this, they lose that funding. Not just that, their communities have an even more difficult time accessing passports.

• Dothan Houston County Library System (AL) had to change hours at its main library and one of its branch libraries due to a nearly $100,000 budget shortfall. Why? The loss of passport services.

• Saline County officials (AR) are putting on the ballot whether or not they should decrease the library’s budget in order to help decrease local property taxes. This is a clever way to make this shift and then put the blame on locals for defunding the library–a library that has been under assault by political interests for years.

• Several of the Riverside City Library (CA) branches are now closed on Sundays due to budget cuts.

• Hours at the Glendale Public Libraries (CA) have been cut across the system.

• Palm Springs Public Library (CA) will have a giant cut to its materials budget for next year. This story is an interesting one. They are undergoing a major renovation, and the cuts supposedly reflect that (even though those cuts will mean the shiny new library lacks new materials).

• Point Loma Libraries (CA) will be cutting their Saturday hours in half as a result of citywide budget cuts.

• Late last year, Rocky Ford, Colorado, voted to eliminate their one full-time library staff position and turn it into two part-time positions. This is an example of how small libraries get squeezed and, well, with two part-time positions, what’s the incentive to show up in the same way a full-time person–likely already way overworked–can?

• Due to budget challenges stemming from the loss of a ballot initiative, the Montrose Regional Library (CO) will close on Saturdays starting in August.

• Somers Public Library (CT) could see the cut of one full time job, one part time job, and all Saturday service hours. This is on the referendum next week, July 14.

• Windsor Locks, Connecticut, residents are going to the polls next week to vote on another budget referendum, and the public library may see HALF of its budget cut.

• 10% of the budget for New Castle County Libraries (DE) has been cut.

• This story out of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, about potential state property tax cuts that would immediately harm public goods like libraries, is spun so oddly. It’s about a city manager salivating at the idea of downsizing the public library because of air-conditioning costs, and maybe having one of his private investor friends help build it. Things like this will be the way forward if such tax cuts are passed.

• In December, officials in Henry County, Georgia, made the call to “temporarily” cut Saturday hours at four of the five library branches to save money. It’s July, and those hours haven’t been restored.

• Augusta Public Library Headquarters (GA) is now closed on Sundays due to budget cuts.

• Macon-Bibb County Library (GA) may be cutting staff, and it is adjusting its funding across several budget areas due to budget challenges. This story is especially annoying with the details about the director’s cake balls. An update to this story came after I’d had it drafted, which is that officials voted to dip into their reserve funds in order to NOT cut staff.

• Sioux City Public Library (IA) did not see the proposed 25% budget reduction materialize, but they still have to adjust to a $100,000 cut.

• Musser Public Library (IA) is cutting Sunday hours, closing earlier every weeknight, ending several popular programs, canceling three databases, and reducing its materials budget. This is thanks, of course, to budget cuts.

• In Keokuk, Iowa, the library’s hours will be reduced to Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and closed on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays. Good luck to serving children and people working traditional office hours!

• Quincy Public Library (IL) faced a major hit to its budget with the proposed end of a city subsidy. The subsidy was not eliminated, but was reduced, so the library will be making materials cuts. I appreciate the director being frank that it means the new books people want will likely not be there right away.

• Property tax caps in Indiana mean that the Centerville Public Library lost 25% of its operating budget and had to make a slew of cuts. Among them are periodicals, Ancestry.com, Hoopla#, and more.

• The Wichita Public Library (KS) is preparing to reduce its hours after being told to scale back as the city puts together its fiscal budget. This library has gotten the same amount of funding FOR 40 YEARS (!!!!). But sure, libraries are the big spenders in municipal government.

• Lafayette Parish Public Library (LA) faces a harsh reality: if voters do not approve a millage in December, they may lose 65% of their budget. That would decimate the library.

• Lafourche Parish libraries (LA) may be forced to close next year, as voters did not approve property tax renewals.

• South Hadley, Massachusetts, almost lost its public library altogether. The town members voted to fund the library (and they voted against police capital expenses).

• In Hadley, Massachusetts, it looked as though the library would need to close one day a week because of budget constraints. As has become clear, most people care about their library, and they voted to maintain funding such that the library remains open.

• Still in Massachusetts, the Marblehead Public Library faced a real threat that they may close down entirely without a community vote to override the budget. The good news is that the override was approved.

• Monson Public Library (MA) is now down to 25 hours of service per week. There is no real news link to share–just saw the update on Facebook and traced it back to this city meeting in April.

• The Peabody Institute Library (MA) will be cutting hours at several of its branches.

• New Bedford, Massachusetts, will see their library system experience budget cuts.

• The proposed Lowell, Massachusetts, budget includes eliminating several library aides, library pages, and a bookmobile staffer.

• The Beverly Public Library (MA) will reduce hours and services at its branches. This includes shutting the children's room 2 hours earlier every night.

• Whitman Public Library (MA) faced imminent closure this year due to city budget issues, but that appears to be over now. The latest solution was to cut school busing services, which is certainly a choice.

• Middleboro Public Library (MA) has to reduce its open hours because it’s not allowed to hire a replacement for the person retiring. They may have to keep doing this well into the future. “Staff shortages” is a way to trap people in a position, especially when the reality is these jobs will not be replaced despite being essential for services, especially in a field full of vocational awe.

• Howard County Libraries (MD) quietly laid off 55 on-call librarian support staff. Except it wasn’t very quiet. Folks spoke out immediately, and guess what happened? They were all restored. At what cost, though?

• In a baffling move, Dearborn Public Library (MI) is plowing ahead with major library renovations, which will include “temporarily” laying off dozens of employees. Here’s the thing: most of those being laid off don’t work at the library being renovated. There’ve been advocates on the ground trying to get this stopped.

• Bemidji Public Library (MN) is now closed Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. They laid off two staff members, too.

• Olmsted County (MN) changed how it funds libraries, and this will directly impact the budgets of two of its libraries. The new budget represents an $11,000 overall reduction.

• Great River Regional Library (MN) will be cutting hours at one of its branch libraries, due to county commissioners "vot[ing] not to fulfill the county's 2026 obligation to the library system.”

• Despite having no full-time employees and a budget of a whopping $4,100 for new books, officials in Piedmont, Missouri, decided to cut some of the new book budget anyway. This one's concerning for how they've contextualized the acquisition of books. Any cut to such a tiny budget is a huge cut.

• Minot Public Library (ND) may face a 25% budget reduction. There has not been an update since this piece ran in March, but the library director notes in this letter about ebook pricing that they have had to make cuts this year, including ending their Hoopla subscription.

• Wake County Public Library (NC) has been chronically understaffed, and this year, it saw the elimination of more staff members. Unionized workers held a protest in mid-May over the cuts.

• Grant Hastings Memorial Public Library (NE) has lost one-third of its budget for the upcoming year. This resulted from changes in how the library is funded. Here’s a statement from the library.

• Thomas Branigan Memorial Library (Las Cruces, New Mexico) has cut its hours across the board.

• Princeton Public Library (NJ) reduced its hours by one hour each day because of budget challenges.

• Last year, residents fought to save the future of Bunnvale Public Library (NJ). The same folks who tried to shutter the library last year are up to it again.

• Paterson Free Public Library (NJ) is implementing reduced services and “temporary” branch closures due to budget constraints.

• Washoe County Libraries (NV)–which have had a rocky few years, including nonstop attacks on materials and programs by far-right extremists–closed their downtown library on Sundays and made cuts to several branch libraries across the system. Some of this involved shifting services based on usage, but it is still an overall reduction in hours.

• Alger Public Library (OH) no longer has weekend hours, and it closes at 6 p.m. every week night except Fridays, when it closes at 5 p.m. This is a direct result of Ohio republicans changing how Ohio funds its libraries last year–and something we’ll see happen in more Ohio libraries that can’t get a millage measure on their ballots.

• More broadly, because Ohio’s republicans changed how libraries are funded in the state last year, libraries are facing a $25 million funding cut.

• Springfield Public Library (OR) is cutting Monday hours to make up for a budget shortfall, and those hour reductions come after the library had to lay off two librarian positions. (Meanwhile, voters in Eugene, Oregon, which was also facing financial challenges, agreed to a levy to support their library in the May election).

• In Independence, Oregon, there’s been a long fight over funding the library. There is supposed to be a ballot initiative about seeking funding support for the library, but as of right now, there are two meetings–one in August and one in November–about shutting down the city’s library. As of the latest update, the library was saved due to a new fee added to resident utility bills, but this situation is unfolding.

• St. Helens Public Library (OR) has faced significant budget cuts this year. Earlier this year, they had to close on Thursdays. Now, because of staffing challenges, they’ve also had to close on Wednesdays. It’s hard to imagine why keeping staff here is hard when their jobs are not guaranteed and when they also have to take furlough days.

• Cottage Grove (OR) cut their library’s budget by 55%. This included eliminating three positions at the library, leaving only one full-time person to run the entire library. The city believes they’ll simply “use volunteers” to cover the gaps. Yes, folks fought back hard here.

• Jackson County Library District (OR) is reducing staff and hours due to budget cuts. They need to eliminate the equivalent of 8.45 FTE, though a recent story says they now need to eliminate over 12 FTE. Ashland and Medford libraries will close on Sundays, too.

• Over the last two years, the Lycoming County Library System (PA) has dealt with a number of funding cuts. They’re down to 51 open hours a week from 65, and they’re now also losing one of their funding sources with the end of passport issuance. My original link to this story, now apparently defunct and not rendering from archive.org as of writing, from January talked about an additional 23% cut to their budget for the year.

• Residents in Butler County, Pennsylvania, are worried that the elimination of one of the two library positions at North Trails Public Library is a signal that more cuts are coming.

• Brownsville Free Public Library (PA) is closed indefinitely as they deal with budget issues (“The library’s financial status had not been documented in recent reports” is a heck of a line in this story!). Their website is eerie.

• Northampton Area School District (PA) decided to slash its contributions to the Northampton Public Library in the coming year, which will require the public library to cut hours and services. This is a unique Pennsylvania state funding setup, and we've seen it done before.

• San Antonio (TX) needs to raise its property taxes, or its public libraries are going to be slashed.

• The Salt Lake City library system (UT) offers buyouts to its staff citywide. Despite the offer of voluntary separations, the system’s CEO says no layoffs are planned. What's the high/low on this being a union-busting tactic, which would absolutely be a library-cuts-related issue?

• Central Rappahannock Regional Library (VA)–a public library system in a community hard hit by school book bans–is getting a $660,000 budget cut. That will be a big hit.

• There’s a proposal for Brooks Memorial Library (VT) to face an 8% cut to the budget. This story is from February, and I’ve not seen any real updates on whether or not the community leadership has gone ahead with this. But interestingly, the director of that library, who began in early May, left just a few weeks later.

• Fiske Free Library (Claremont, VT) was to have its budget slashed by the city council. While public discussion–including from a state representative–helped restore some of the book budget, how much else will be cut is unclear.

• The Neill Public Library in Pullman, Washington, had hours and programs slashed.

• Timberland Regional Libraries (WA), which has been a site of complete mess, in no small part due to the library board president’s eagerness to make white supremacy the rule of the library system (and the outspoken excitement from local republicans for this!), made numerous staff cuts earlier this year. Layoff notices went out to 40% of frontline staff. In addition, 14 non-union employees will experience furloughs.

• Spokane Public Library (WA) faces a massive funding cliff next year.

• Stevens County Libraries (WA) will be cutting their hours by 50 per week. This happened after a budget shortfall and then a no vote from residents on an April levy initiative. The vote was nearly 50-50, likely due to low turnout.

• Watertown Public Library (WI) faced significant budget cuts this year, but they “only” had their budget reduced by $100,000–a number that hurts, but it won’t immediately impact public services or staff.

• Carbon County Libraries (WY) may need to close six of their seven libraries due to budget cuts. This is the direct result of the state’s property tax cuts.

School Library Cuts

The hardest hit when it comes to book censorship, school libraries also get the double whammy of being wildly understaffed nationwide. More research is emerging, too, at the state level with just how bad school librarian loss is–Washington state, for example, has lost 435 FTE school librarians over the last eight years. That’s a huge number.***

Over the last six months, it’s become clear how fragile staffing is in school libraries. It’s wild to type that, as school library staffing is already fragile. Most schools don’t have their own librarian–they’re lucky if they’re getting someone half-time, as many librarians are splitting time among several schools if they’re full-time. Things are only getting worse.

• Anchorage Public Schools (AK) proposed chopping library aides as part of budget challenges for the coming school year.

• Kenai Peninsula Borough School District (AK) will eliminate all of its school librarians and library aides across the district. They aren’t libraries if they aren’t staffed.

• The Chandler Unified School District (AZ) threatened to cut a ton of school librarians. While the cuts aren’t as draconian as originally pitched, they’re losing a lot of full-time librarians. Some will be replaced with part-time assistants. Three assistants are replacing six full-time junior high librarians at a time when information literacy needs are at an all-time high.

• Redlands Unified School District (CA), a district that has been roiled by book censorship (despite the state having an anti-book-ban law), took the next step in the dismantling of libraries this year, too. Twenty-two librarians were laid off in the first round of cuts in January, and in May, 12 more librarian paraprofessionals were laid off.

• Long Beach Unified Schools (CA) has in its library cuts 30-some positions of the 50 across the district.

• Amid funding issues, Menlo Park City Schools (CA) has library aides and parts of the budget for the libraries themselves on the chopping block. This story came out in January, and there doesn’t appear to have been an update.

• Elk Grove Unified School District (CA) is cutting library technicians across the district as part of a 31-person reduction.

• "Six full-time librarians will be spread out across the 10 elementary schools in San Luis Coastal Unified School District [CA] next school year, thanks to an estimated $190,000 reduction in the elementary library media tech budget."

• Plumas Unified School District (CA) is eliminating an unspecified number of library positions.

• California school libraries had over $5.5 million in funding cut statewide, which includes subscriptions to several databases and services.

• The School District of Palm Beach County (FL) is eliminating 76 school library paraprofessional positions.

• Among the layoffs at Freeport Public Schools (IL) are certified librarians.

• Fayette County Public Schools (KY) laid off all of their librarians.

• Maine's RSU 73 budget includes $8,000 in cuts from book purchases and $2,000 at each of the four school libraries. As a district that’s dealt with numerous book challenges, seeing such cuts directed at the library isn’t surprising.

• In Baltimore County, Maryland, secondary school librarians will not be able to return to their work as librarians. They’re still being “reassigned” to classroom teaching.

• The Frontier Regional School District (MA) is cutting a librarian position and replacing it with a library aide.

• The Freetown-Lakeville school district (MA) will not have any school librarians in its elementary or middle schools beginning next year.

• Franklin County Technical School (MA) cut its school librarian.

• School librarians are not-so-quietly disappearing across the state of New Jersey.

• Akron Public Schools (OH) laid off four library technicians across the district.

• Gresham-Barlow School District (OR) has cut at least one librarian in a round of over 70 layoffs.

• Eugene Public Schools (OR) has laid off librarians as part of budget reductions. It’s always interesting when you see the same city appear in numerous areas, as voters.

• Bensalem Township School District (PA) cut 30 positions in the spring, and a number of them were librarian positions. A key part of the story: “ English teacher Talia Borochaner warned the board that cutting librarians would “cut the library off at the knees,” a line that captured a broader worry: that the reductions hit the support roles that hold a school day together, not just headcount on a spreadsheet.”

• Hays Consolidated Independent School District (TX) has laid off seven librarians as part of a round of budget cuts. This is indeed one of the many Texas school districts dealing with nonstop book bans and censorship, and eliminating library professionals will only accelerate this.

• Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City Independent School District (TX) is replacing all of its certified school librarians with paraprofessionals. Paraprofessionals do important work. They are also not professional librarians, and they’re much easier to plow over with book bans, censorship, and more.

• Puyallup School District (WA), as part of their budget reductions, is cutting “half an hour of weekly library instructional time for fourth, fifth, and sixth graders.” What a wildly specific cut, and one that will really hurt a group of learners who need this kind of instruction to succeed.

• Fond du Lac Schools (WI) are cutting six librarian positions in the district.

• Oshkosh Area School District (WI) cut five media literacy positions for the coming school year, despite local objections and attempts to save them.

And here’s a kicker that I’ve been wanting to write about but haven’t yet found the way in: how much do we think this kind of celebratory PR about gorgeous new school libraries is being put out there that conveniently leaves out that the new, gorgeous, and expensive library is actually not even staffed with a professional? I bet it’s not just this one.

Cuts in Academic Libraries

Coverage of what’s happening in academic libraries isn’t as wide as that in public and school libraries. But academic libraries this year have been taking a beating, and it’s hard not to see that the trends in higher education–the gutting of liberal arts, for one, even at liberal arts institutions like the one I attended–mirroring libraries and what they provide to students. It won’t be surprising to see more and more college and university libraries simply shuttered or operating on a bare-bones staff. That is to the complete detriment of students and academia more broadly. If no one is there to help guide students in using and understanding information and resources, how can we expect them to be literate or to avoid being susceptible to intentional information degradation? We can’t.

• "On June 25, at approximately 10 AM, the University of Central Florida closed the UCF Downtown library, the Curriculum Materials Center, and LibTech. These closures were not announced through any previous warning." It’s likely more will be dismantled here, too.

• Idaho State University slashed some of its librarians in budget cuts.

• At the tail end of last year, DePaul University (IL) slashed librarian jobs at its Loop Library. There is some talk that this is step one toward eliminating that library altogether.

• Eastern Illinois University cut hours from Booth Library for students as a result of staff layoffs in the fall of last school year.

• Staffing at Massachusetts Institute of Technology libraries has been cut, including two libraries that now have no staffed service desks this year. The libraries expect a third library to lose its staffed desk hours in 2027. The conservation library is also winding down, which means efforts to conserve important materials will look very different. For folks who don’t know how academic libraries operate, unlike public and school libraries, many prestigious institutions like MIT DO preserve as much material as possible to develop and retain a historic record.

• Dartmouth College (NH) faces significant budget cuts to its libraries, and it is already not filling vacant library positions.

• The way this story about library cuts at Rider University (NJ) is framed in a really unfortunate way–this isn’t “recalibration” as a result of “doing more with less,” and it’s not about how resilient and flexible librarians can be. It’s about how much a university can squeeze the library’s budget, one of the keystone institutions in academia.

• Lane Community College (OR) has cut library positions during its budget challenges.

• Clatsop Community College (OR) laid off its only full-time librarian. That librarian wasn’t told why he was laid off, but he notes the college’s financial woes.

• Texas Wesleyan University cut hours at its West Library due to staffing issues and budget cuts.

• The John M. Kuehne Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy Library at the University of Texas has permanently closed. It’s being turned into a study space.

• Gonzaga University (WA) cut hours at Foley Library due to staff shortages and budget cuts.

• Whatcom Community College (WA) is “combining the library and learning center into a new academic support services department.” A nice way to say they’re eliminating the library.

• The University of Wisconsin at Madison is amping up the closure of two campus libraries.

There’s a piece here worth reading about how new proposed changes to accreditation language in Northwest academic libraries may accelerate the layoffs of library workers in college and university libraries. Oh, and the research library at NASA’s Goddard Space and Flight Center closed, too.

Is There Any Good News?

Yes. What needs to be said, though, is that most of the good news comes on the back of bad news.

• San Marcos Unified School District (CA) had planned to cut elementary school librarians as part of budget reductions. The community showed up, pushed back, and successfully saved those vital school positions.

• Sacramento State University (CA) was facing massive cuts to its library program. Faculty, students, and the community pushed back and secured that funding–and then some.

• Devastating potential cuts to the San Diego Public Library (CA) were avoided. (One of the most interesting pieces to come out of this situation was about how FLOCK cameras were being pitted against the library in terms of the budget–what DOES it say when your city is more invested in spying cameras than a public library?).

• Georgetown Public Library (CA) faced closure because of budget issues. Residents not only voted to support funding the library, but they did so in massive numbers–71% said yes (Measure C here).

• Evanston-Skokie School District 65 (IL) was going to “reassign” all of its middle school librarians and rely on local public libraries for supporting students (which they didn’t tell those libraries, and which isn’t the same as a school library). Residents and library supporters pushed back, and the decision was vetoed.

• Danville Public Library (IL) was facing a big budget cut. Those are no longer happening at all.

• One of the biggest “good” news stories comes from one of the worst “bad” news stories of last year. Western Illinois University, which obliterated its libraries last year, was wrong in doing so. The school must now backpay the librarians who were unjustly terminated, and if those librarians want their jobs back, they can have them.

• In news you rarely see, Louisville’s mayor proposed a budget that focused on supporting educational and recreational needs in the Kentucky city. This includes more money for the library and the potential for it to hire 30-some new staff members.

• Because of interest from the community, Pine River Public Library (MN) expanded their hours.

• Despite the rumors being spread by a former county commissioner, Cascade County Commissioners (MT) did not cut the library’s budget.

• Rockwell Falls Public Library (NY)–which dealt with bomb threats, staff challenges, and board issues a couple of years ago–faced a budget cut this year that would have only done more damage. The good news? Residents voted in favor of a levy, so the library is getting a budget increase.

• Voters in Grant County, Oregon, voted to tax themselves to save the county’s only library. Of note in the story is that this is a very red district, meaning it’s a reminder that libraries are institutions supported by people of all political leanings. Those who are voting against them or attacking them are those being fed mis- and dis- information (or manufacturing it for their cult followers).

• Saturday hours? They’re back at nearly every single Philadelphia Free Library branch (PA).

• Dallas Public Library (TX) staved off the closure of four branch libraries. This was because people showed up in support of those libraries. Turns out, when you ask community members what services they value and find important, libraries are at the top of the list. This is why speaking up matters. (Of note, library staff will experience furlough days).

• In a last-minute deal, Austin Public Schools (TX) will not be eliminating scores of school librarians.

• Four years after closing, Seminary South Library in South Fort Worth (TX) is reopening. The people voted for this!

• Arlington Public Library (VA) saw the potential closure of the Cherrydale Library branch. As has been the case with so many of these potential closures, residents were not happy, and they pushed back. That branch will not close.

• South Milwaukee Public Library (WI) has yet to return to its pre-pandemic service levels. A levy was placed on the ballot this spring, and if it did not pass, further cuts would happen. The measure passed handily, and now the library is getting more hours.

It’s rough for libraries. It’s been rough for libraries. It’s our responsibility to keep fighting for them–and to keep fighting for what this institution represents: democracy, civic engagement, and access to both fact and fiction, with clear and distinct lines between the two.

We’re only half-way through 2026.

The good news is the fight is worth it. Many of these cuts have been altered or abandoned because people showed up, spoke out, or voted. In cases where things haven’t gone well? People still showed up, and their voices and support were noted, noticed, heard, and felt.

Notes

^Fight any cuts to libraries, of course, but whenever you hear “hours” as the thing to be cut, that’s the first and foremost place to begin pushing back. They rarely get restored, and they’re the first step in cutting other things from the budget–including staff.

*I’ve been hoping for months that someone would be archiving the dismantling of Canadian libraries, but as of yet, I don’t know if someone is doing this kind of work. If there is, I’d love to be able to boost it–and maybe if there isn’t someone doing it, there’s an opportunity for a Canadian library advocate to take up the cause. I’m happy to talk about doing that and making that work sustainable.

**Fun fact: The New York Public Library is a non-profit library, operating as a 501©(3). Yes, even with public taxpayer funding, some public libraries are non-profits, rather than government entities. Relatedly, you can’t FOIA the New York Public Library because of this.

***You can see how your state stacks up with the data at SLIDE.

#Hoopla is extremely popular and extremely expensive for libraries to have. It is going to be a first cut expense as we continue to see budgets shrink–and that’s going to make folks who enjoy it angry. Hopefully, they respond with support for the library and understand that it’s Hoopla’s pricing model that is part of the problem.