Anne-Imelda Radice, Ph.D., Director of the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), announced grants totaling more than $163 million to states for library services. "This funding helps libraries meet the changing needs of their communities," said Dr. Radice. A recent national study from the American Library Association (ALA) underscores this assertion - 92% of American's surveyed believe libraries will still be needed in the future, even with all of the information available on the Internet."

IMLS' Library Grants to the States is the premier source of federal funding to the nation's libraries. The grants are awarded under the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and states provide at least one dollar for every two dollars of federal support. States invest the dollars to expand learning resources and access to information for individual from all walks of life.

"These funds help libraries promote literacy; provide services to children, teens, and families; connect seniors to health information; offer computer training and even develop community disaster preparedness plans," said Radice. "Whatever the community needs - the library can be a part of the solution."

For examples of how states invest IMLS' Library Grants to States please access www.imls.gov/news/2006/031506_index.shtm. Grant amounts are determined by a population-based formula and the state's library administers the funds. The state library may distribute the funds through subgrant competitions or cooperative agreements to public, academic, research, school, and special libraries in their state.