Contact: Evan Ottenfeld - eottenfeld@urbanlibraries.org WASHINGTON, DC - Today, President Trump signed into law the Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations Bill preserving funding for libraries within the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), despite an initial request to zero out the instit...

via Axios Columbus — "Columbus Metropolitan Library has spent recent years helping disconnected teens and young adults get back on track. The effort, part of a national campaign that wrapped up last year, was designed to reach "opportunity youth" — young people aged 16-24 who may be jobless or out o...

via The 51st — "In 2019, DC Public Library circulated 1.58 million digital items (32% of total circulation) and spent $655,000 on e-books — 11% of its overall collections budget. But by last year, 3.74 million digital items were circulated (54% of total circulation) and DCPL’s spending on e-books ju...

This article from The Advocate highlights how the Easton Baton Rouge Parish Library, ULC member, supports local entrepreneurs and small business owners through their Career Center—an effort they kicked off in 2018 with ULC."The library has long offered resources for small businesses through books in...

This recent article from The Oklahoman lays out clearly what many library patrons may not understand: that for every e-book you want to borrow, there are a lot of restrictions placed on libraries in order to get it to you. "There's a lot of discrepancy in the cost of those materials depending on who...

This Baltimore Banner article highlights the annual successes of Baltimore's Enoch Pratt Free Library, citing Pratt's recent work with ULC's Creating Youth Opportunities Initiative:"There’s no one reason why loans have surged, said Enoch Pratt Free Library chief of collections and access services Mi...

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report today that found large numbers of public libraries have building systems in poor condition, pose safety concerns, or represent a barrier to access for patrons with disabilities. Following the report’s release, the Urban Libraries Council r...

Prince William Public Libraries (VA), Dayton Metro Library (OH), Gwinnett County Public Library (GA), Pasadena Public Library (CA), DC Public Library, and the Pioneer Library System (OK) recognized for their exemplary programs Washington, DC – The Urban Libraries Council (ULC), North America’s leadi...

From Publisher's Weekly:On December 3, the Institute of Museum and Library Services announced on its website that it “has reinstated all federal grants.” This action is the result of a permanent injunction ordered on November 21 by U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell Jr. in State of Rhode Is...

From Publisher's Weekly: "The Urban Libraries Council, a North American advocacy organization of nearly 200 public library systems, has released its 2025 Library Insights report. For four years, the ULC has been collecting data from public libraries across the U.S. and Canada that participate in its...