Fully Fund Delaware Library Standards and the Bond Bill in FY2027

Libraries in Delaware are lending more books than ever. With no one living further than seven miles from a library, they are an essential community infrastructure that supports literacy, workforce development, digital access, and lifelong learning in every part of the state.

At a time when Delaware is confronting serious literacy challenges and growing demand for educational and workforce services, libraries remain one of the most trusted and accessible public resources available to families, students, and job seekers.

For FY2027, the Delaware Library Association (DLA) and the Friends of Delaware Libraries (FODL) are asking lawmakers to support a focused legislative agenda that ensures Delaware’s libraries remain strong partners in education, economic opportunity, and community life.

The need for strong libraries is clear when we look at the data.

In Delaware today:

• 45% of 4th graders score below basic reading levels

• 41% of 8th graders score below basic reading proficiency

• 20% of adults are at or below Level 1 literacy

These figures from the National Assessment of Educational Progress and the Delaware Literacy Alliance illustrate why Governor Meyer has described the situation as a literacy emergency.

Libraries are on the front lines of this challenge. Through early literacy programs, afterschool learning, access to books and eBooks, tutoring support, and partnerships with schools and community organizations, libraries help thousands of Delawareans build reading skills and educational confidence every year.

Delaware’s Unique Library Funding Model

Public libraries in Delaware operate under a unique funding structure. About 85% of library funding comes from local sources, primarily county governments and community fundraising. Only 15% comes from the state, through the Library Standards line in the state budget.

State funding is distributed by a formula in Delaware law that considers population served, local investment, and statewide services like the Delaware Library Consortium. This system promotes shared responsibility. But when the overall funding level does not increase, rising costs and population shifts can cause reductions for individual libraries. Without additional funding, some libraries may be forced to reduce programming, delay technology improvements, or scale back services.

Why the FY2027 Budget Matters

This legislative session, library leaders are asking the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) to increase Library Standards funding by $1.9 million, from $6,704,400 to $8,634,264 in FY2027. This increase would help:

• Maintain staffing, collections, and programming

• Prevent funding reductions caused by inflation and formula adjustments

• Sustain equitable access to services statewide

Libraries must meet statewide service standards, but those standards can only be maintained when funding keeps pace with the real costs of providing modern library services. Delaware libraries collaborate through the Delaware Library Consortium, a statewide system that shares catalogs, digital resources, and collections across libraries. The consortium provides access to more than 3.5 million items statewide, dramatically expanding what each library can offer residents. This approach to shared collections allows libraries to stretch taxpayer dollars while providing greater access to books, research tools, and digital services.

Investing in Library Facilities

Libraries are also important physical spaces for communities. They are easily accessible places where students learn, job seekers use technology, and residents gather for civic life. Several construction and renovation projects are ready to move forward across Delaware, including improvements in Bridgeville, Milford, Georgetown, Lewes, and Woodlawn, as well as planning for a new state library facility. These projects rely on a partnership between state support and local fundraising, ensuring communities have modern spaces for learning and connection. Our ask this session is that the legislature support the Bond Bill and fund eight important library construction and improvement projects.

Together, these priorities help libraries continue their essential work supporting literacy, workforce development, and community learning.

Funding decisions are made during the state budget process, particularly by members of the Joint Finance Committee and the Bond Bill Committee. When legislators hear directly from their constituents about why libraries matter, it helps them understand the importance of these investments. Library users, parents, educators, and community leaders all play an important role in showing that Delaware’s libraries have strong public support.

The Delaware Library Association and the Friends of Delaware Libraries are asking library advocates across the state to send a message to their legislators in support of the Delaware Libraries Legislative Agenda.

Please take a moment to email your state Representative and Senator and urge them to support funding for library services, collections, programs, and facilities. Send your message here: https://www.delawarelibrarychampions.org/fy27_legislative_agenda

Your voice helps ensure that Delaware’s libraries remain one of the state’s strongest resources for literacy, learning, and opportunity.