Dear Appropriator Thank You: May 2025

Dear Senators Booker and Kim, and Representatives Conaway, Gottheimer, Menendez, Pallone, and Sherill,

As the New Jersey Library Association’s Executive Director, I have the pleasure of thanking the members of the New Jersey delegation who signed the “Dear Appropriator” letters supporting full funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and school libraries through Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL). They include Sen. Booker (both letters), Sen. Kim, (both letters), Rep. Conaway (LSTA), Rep. Gottheimer (IAL), Rep. Menendez (LSTA), Rep. Pallone (LSTA), and Rep. Sherill (both letters).

Demonstrating support for libraries, reading, and information literacy has never been more important. In the last few weeks, the library community has been shaken by the unjust dismissal of Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden and the unlawful dismissal of Register of Copyrights, Shira Perlmutter. Along with the American Library Association (ALA) and colleagues across the country, I anxiously await a ruling in ALA v. Sonderling, which we expect to reinforce the May 13 halt to IMLS dismantling ordered by Rhode Island district court judge John J. McConnell, Jr. Your support for the future of LSTA and IAL acknowledges the value that IMLS and libraries provide to our communities and our country. 

Thank you for making libraries a priority.

Brett Bonfield
Executive Director
New Jersey Library Association