Last week the Institute of Museum and Libraries Services announced that Texas public libraries could be without about about $10 million in federal grants, nearly 70 percent of the money they receive from the federal government.
The state is looking at a loss in federal money because of funding cuts that happened during the 2011 legislative session. With those cuts, the state is not able to pay a federal match program that is a part of the federal grant.
Mark Smith, the director of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, said the state is 67 percent short of meeting the match, so there would be a 67 percent reduction in federal dollars.
"These funds are used to support inter-library loans so that when that people need a book from one location their library will arrange to have that sent," Smith said.
Smith said the federal funds in question also go to support the operational cost for individual community libraries and programs.
Even with the looming cut, Smith said there is still some hope.
"We have until the end of November to submit a letter appealing the decision to not grant us a waiver and that is our plan to have that prepared by then," Smith said.
