April 14, 2020

The Honorable Gretchen Whitmer
Governor of Michigan
P.O. Box 30013
Lansing, Michigan 48909

Dear Governor Whitmer,

Thank you for your leadership and continued work on COVID-19 relief efforts. As you implement the CARES Act, we ask that you keep in mind the importance of funding for school, academic, and public libraries and the vital connections and opportunities they provide to Americans across the country.

Access to digital resources has become critically important to all Americans in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak and libraries have stepped up to successfully deliver these resources to communities in need throughout Michigan. However, libraries, like other public and private institutions, are fulfilling community needs while anticipating lost revenue.

While all of our library buildings are closed, libraries continue to serve at the forefront of digital equity by supporting home broadband access, loaning devices and offering technical support. Many libraries have hotspot lending programs for underserved families and students who do not have internet access at home. Libraries offer e-books, audiobooks, online learning, and tutoring sites for homework help. They stream storytimes, book discussions, and author visits to engage readers of all ages. They offer access to skill-building activities and resume development for those who have been recently unemployed, as well as to telehealth resources and trustworthy public health information.

School and academic librarians continue to be essential guides within our schools and institutions of higher education, leading everyday teaching and learning towards methods and outcomes that best prepare students for the challenges of the 21^st century. They have helped their institutions pivot to remote learning with direct instruction, digitization and curation of instructional materials, professional development for colleagues, and coordination of online instructional tools.

The Governor’s Emergency Relief Fund under section 18002 of the CARES Act allows governors to allocate funds for emergency support to local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, and any “education-related entity” within the state that the governor deems essential for carrying out emergency educational services as described in section 18003(d)(1) of the CARES Act or in the Higher Education Act; for the provision of child care, early childhood education, or social and emotional support; and for the protection of education-related jobs.

We urge you to note that “other education-related entity” includes libraries. By dedicating a portion of this funding to libraries, they will be able to maintain the staffing and services necessary to scale up relief efforts already underway and, equally important, to foster community resilience as we emerge from this crisis.

On behalf of the Michigan Library Association and our 1700 members across Michigan, thank you for your commitment to libraries and for your consideration of our request as you begin implementation of the CARES Act.

Sincerely,

Deborah E. Mikula
Executive Director