From the time I was young, before laptops and cellphones and the World Wide Web, there was one place that made me feel safe with its old-paper smell, comfy chairs and endless books through which I could explore the world. My local library was filled with treasures of knowledge.
As a third-generation librarian who joined the University of Utah as the dean of libraries two years ago, I’ve witnessed phenomenal transformations in libraries. Starting my career in MIT’s business library in the early ‘90s, I processed and shelved piles of paper journals.
Today, these are all digital. No matter how technology has advanced, libraries have consistently adapted while always providing free access to information and opening new pathways of learning. During National Library Week, from April 6-12, I acknowledge the vital role they play in our community — and the threats they face.
The J. Willard Marriott Library at the University of Utah is a hive of activity. Last year alone, we counted 1.1 million people who passed through our gates, more than the number who visited Rice-Eccles Stadium. My favorite spot is the loudest. It’s an area on the third floor we call the “living room,” where students spread out and study, often with a portable whiteboard or our resident skeleton model at hand. There’s a constant hum here, with free pizza and visiting therapy dogs during finals week to help stressed students.
Elsewhere in the library, we have classrooms, rare books, help desks and the ProtoSpace, which offers all students access to 3D printers, media production studios, small-scale fabrication tools and virtual reality tools. We offer online support through chat, video tutorials and our many databases, journals and books.
And we are not just supporting the students and faculty at the University of Utah. We are open to the public and support initiatives like the Patent and Trademark Resource Center as a service to all of the innovators and creators in Utah. Our wonderful Book Arts program offers community workshops and K-12 programming. Through funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library, or EHSL, at the University of Utah supports doctors throughout the state — especially those in rural areas — with free access to evidence-based practice research articles. No other state in the region has this unique model.
Our librarians and library staff — our most valuable assets — help people find what they need. We connect people with journals, books and datasets. Our EHSL librarians are so dedicated to providing the right information at the right time that some accompany doctors on rounds to provide relevant resources right when needed, adjusting diagnoses and treatment. We also connect people with technology — a basic need for attending college. This year, we loaned 19,000 laptops, iPads, hotspots, scientific calculators and more to students who need these tools for classes.
There is a disturbing trend toward disregarding the judgement of trained librarians and limiting access to all kinds of information and resources. We now face the very real risk of losing the federal funding that keeps libraries functioning across the country. In late March, President Donald Trump issued an executive order to “eliminate to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law” the Institute of Museum and Library Services, or IMLS. The IMLS has a budget of $295 million — only .003 % of the federal budget — and is the only federal funding source solely for museums and libraries. The Utah State Library typically receives about $2.29 million from IMLS. These funds support state and public library services like summer reading programs, literacy initiatives, the Blind Library Program and the Bookmobile program. As of March 31, all staff at IMLS have been placed on 90-day administrative leave; the status of current grants is unclear. The potential elimination of IMLS — which is up for reauthorization by Congress in September 2025 — will impact every library, including the academic libraries at the U. This should alarm all of us.
If we let our libraries go, we won’t just lose places to study and explore; we stand to hobble innovation and research. As the saying goes, our researchers and scientists stand on the shoulders of the giants who came before them. Libraries enable us to build on these previous foundations and see further into what’s possible.
When I was a child, I visited my local library every week and found adventure, understanding and safety. Now, it’s my turn to protect our libraries. I welcome you to join me in calling your congressperson to preserve IMLS funding. Together, we can participate in the American Library Association movement to Show Up for Libraries wherever decisions about libraries are being made.