American Rescue Plan - Library Relief

American Rescue Plan

Libraries were eligible to receive an allocated portion of recovery funding as part of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 passed by Congress on Wednesday, March 10th, 2021. The package included $200 million for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the largest single investment in the agency’s 25-year history, providing emergency funding for budgetary expenses brought upon by the COVID-19 pandemic. The package also included billions of dollars in academic, public and school library-eligible programs, including the Emergency Education Connectivity Fund through the federal E-rate program. ALA worked hard to ensure our nation's libraries and library workers were included in pandemic relief and recovery efforts, and we are extremely grateful to our advocates for standing up to keep #LibrariesStrong. Learn more about the funding included in the ARPA below!

Resources

• ALA Press Release: Libraries Gain Record Increases for IMLS, E-rate in Federal Relief Plan
• Institute of Museum & Library Services: Federal Government Invests $200 Million in Libraries and Museums to Stimulate American Communities
• Bill text: H.R. 1319
• ALA 2-Pager: ARPA Library Recovery Funding Summary
• State Funding Guide: How to best obtain state-allocated funding for your library