Federal grant funding for library programs in Cape Girardeau potentially at risk after Trump order

The Cape Girardeau Public Library's federal grant funding is potentially at risk following a Friday, March 14, executive order made by President Donald Trump to eliminate multiple government entities, including the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

According to a Facebook post by the Cape Girardeau Public Library, 711 Clark Ave., federal grants for the institution are at risk as IMLS distributes Library Services and Technology Act grants, with Missouri libraries receiving $3 million annually in grant funding. Library director Katie Earnhart told the Southeast Missourian the Cape Girardeau library has received $229,241 in funds from IMLS since 2018.

The grants received by the library through IMLS include Spotlight on Literacy and Summer Reading program grants. While there are more, those two together amount to $139,002. Earnhart said while grants such as the LitLocker in 2020 and WiFi in the Parks in 2020 were a part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act and American Rescue Plan Act funding, they were still funded through IMLS.

"There are many indirect benefits we receive from IMLS that the State Library pays for such as three free days of courier, access to certain databases, and the Missouri Evergreen Consortium receives a substantial grant annual that keeps our membership costs low," Earnhart said in an email.

The executive order states that government entities that included IMLS will be eliminated to the maximum extent "consistent with applicable law". According to the order, the head of each government entity listed has within seven days of the order to submit a report to Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, to confirm its compliance with the order and explain what functions of the organizations are "statutorily" required.

For more information on the executive order about "reducing the scope of federal bureaucracy", visit https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/continuing-the-reduction-of-the-federal-bureaucracy/.

A ballot measure to decide whether to permanently approve the library's current tax rate, Prop L, will be on the Tuesday, April 8, general election ballot.