On May 2 President Trump unveiled his FY2026 federal budget proposal which completely defunds the Institute of Museum and Library Services, which is an independent federal agency that supports libraries and museums in all 50 states and U.S. territories. This decision will greatly impact Dover and all Granite State residents.

The New Hampshire State Library currently has $1.5 million of IMLS money to fund its interlibrary loan program (ILL), as well as the online catalog and van service to support it. In 2024, The Dover Public Library loaned out 1,546 items to other libraries using the ILL service, and borrowed 2,263 items from other libraries to support the needs of our patrons.

The State Library also uses IMLS money to provide you with Talking Book services and Libby (Overdrive), the eBook, audiobook, and digital magazine platform. In 2024, Dover Public Library patrons borrowed 59,988 digital titles from Libby. 

Elimination of this funding will dramatically affect the above-mentioned services that we currently provide, crippling the collaboration among New Hampshire libraries and drastically reducing patron access to library services.

Thank you for your continued support of the Dover Public Library. 

Honorable Jeanne Shaheen - United States Senator - https://shaheen.senate.gov 

Honorable Maggie Hassan- United States Senator - https://hassan.senate.gov

Honorable Chris Pappas- United States Congressman- https://pappas.house.gov