IMLS, LSTA, and Public Libraries

In 1996, then-president Bill Clinton signed the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). This act provides federal funding for libraries through the Grants to States programs, administered in each state by the State Library Administrative Agencies, of which the Library of Virginia is one. The LSTA has numerous goals, all focused on “Enhanc[ing] coordination among Federal programs that relate to library, education, and information services.” These include:

Promote continuous improvement in library services in all types of libraries in order to better serve the people of the United States;
Facilitate access to resources in all types of libraries for the purpose of cultivating an educated and informed citizenry;
Encourage resource sharing among all types of libraries for the purpose of achieving economical and efficient delivery of library services to the public;
Promote literacy, education, and lifelong learning, including by building learning partnerships with school libraries in our Nation’s schools, including tribal schools, and developing resources, capabilities, and programs in support of State, tribal, and local efforts to offer a well-rounded educational experience to all students;
Enable libraries to develop services that meet the needs of communities throughout the Nation, including people of diverse geographic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds, individuals with disabilities, residents of rural and urban areas, Native Americans, military families, veterans, and caregivers;
Enable libraries to serve as anchor institutions to support community revitalization through enhancing and expanding the services and resources provided by libraries, including those services and resources relating to workforce development, economic and business development, critical thinking skills, health information, digital literacy skills, financial literacy and other types of literacy skills, and new and emerging technology;
Enhance the skills of the current library workforce and recruit future professionals, including those from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds, to the field of library and information services;
Ensure the preservation of knowledge and library collections in all formats and enable libraries to serve their communities during disasters;
Enhance the role of libraries within the information infrastructure of the United States in order to support research, education, and innovation;
Promote library services that provide users with access to information through national, State, local, regional, and international collaborations and networks; and
Encourage, support, and disseminate model programs of library and museum collaboration.

The LSTA replaced two earlier federal grant programs to support libraries in the U.S.: the Library Services Act of 1956 and the Library Services and Construction Act of 1962. The LSTA Grants to States program is administered by the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS), an independent federal agency, which was established in 1996 to “to advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development.”

Through the funding received from the Grants to States program, the Library of Virginia (LVA) provides a wide range of services to support public and school libraries around the Commonwealth. In 2024, Virginia received $4,316,228 in funding for statewide projects that are essential to enabling Virginia’s 94 public library systems to provide crucial and valued services to their communities. These projects include:

Support for Reading Programs – Over 2,729,639 Virginians participated in reading programs in 2024 alone. The library summer reading programs that are part of this figure help prevent loss of critical reading skills during summer break, improve academic performance, and result in higher test scores across all measures and grades.
Early Learning & Literacy – With LVA’s support, libraries prepare Virginia’s children to enter school with pre-reading skills and provide parents the resources to support their children and families.
Find It Virginia – Provides all Virginia public libraries and schools with a core set of digital resources to support schoolwork, lifelong learning, career and job searching, language learning, homework help, and more. In 2024, the Find It Virginia resources were used over 2.11 million times by Virginia residents.
E-Rate Discounts – Bring affordable Internet and telecommunications services to public libraries across the commonwealth, especially where it’s most needed in small and rural communities.
21st-Century Libraries & Librarians – Through ongoing professional development and continuing education opportunities, LVA ensures librarians stay current with technology and the skills essential to meeting the ever-evolving information needs of their communities.
Library websites – LVA ensures that smaller, financially challenged libraries can offer their citizens the same access to information, collections, and resources as any of their bigger, better-funded counterparts across the state.
Sharing Virginia’s History and Culture – Support for LVA digitization projects helps the library provide over 12 million digital images covering 400 years of history accessed by 4.5 million users annually.
Document Bank for Educators – Helps our schools develop critical thinkers through the analysis of original documents from Virginia’s past held in the LVA collections.
Empowering the Public with Access to Government Information – LVA keeps up-to-date with changes in technology and how government conducts its business to find new and better ways to keep Virginia’s government transparent and accessible to its citizens.

By providing funding for a wide range of critical services and resources, LSTA funds enable the Library of Virginia to make a difference in the lives of libraries and citizens in the state.

Through a partnership with the Library of Virginia and Career Online High School, HRLS provides scholarships to adults aged 20 and older in the service area to earn a private high school diploma online and gain career skills. Charris Brooks, mother of five, earned her high school diploma and certificates in business management and cybersecurity. With her determination and support, Charris is now equipped to pursue a career in cybersecurity. We are very proud to have been part of that support system. As the program manager for this partnership, I hope that I can continue to offer our community such an amazing opportunity. –Handley Regional Library