The LSTA's authorization expired at the end of FY2002; however, funding was not interrupted. The bulk of LST funding is distributed to states via formula grants. Funding is also provided for library services for Native Americans, and for national leadership projects. In addition, minimum state allotments for outlying areas are increased to $60,000, if appropriations in a given year are sufficient to meet the higher state minimums of $680,000. 108-81 . Participating states are required to develop five-year plans that set goals and priorities consistent with the purposes of LST grants (i.e., to enhance information-sharing networks and target library services to disadvantaged populations). The plans must provide for independent evaluations of federally assisted library services. A wide variety of types of librariesâpublic, public school, college or university, research (if they provide public access to their collections), and (at state discretion) private librariesâmay receive LST aid, not just the public and research libraries eligible for aid under the predecessor legislation, the Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA). LST is administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The IMLS contains an Office of Museum Services (OMS) and an Office of Library Services (OLS). The Administration has requested increasing that funding to $220.855 million in FY2007. The House Committee on Appropriations has recommended $220.855 million in funding for FY2007; the Senate Committee on Appropriations has recommended funding of $213.337 million. Beginning in FY2003, the OMS and the OLS were combined in one appropriation account within the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (L-HHS-ED) Appropriations bill. In the past there had been two funding streams, one account for OMS within the Department of the Interior Appropriations and one for OLS within the L-HHS-ED Appropriations. P.L. 108th Congress

On September 25, 2003, the Museum and Library Services Act of 2003 was signed into law ( P.L. 108-81 ). The major changes regarding Library Services adopted in the reauthorized Museum and Library Services Act of 2003 include the following:
prohibiting the funding of projects deemed obscene; defining "obscene" and the term "determined to be obscene"; requiring the Director of the IMLS to establish procedural standards for reviewing and evaluating grants; increasing minimum state allotments for library services to $680,000 if the amount appropriated for a year, and available for state allotments, exceeds the amount of allotments to all states in FY2003 (the level of FY2004 appropriations for the IMLS is not sufficient to trigger the higher state grant amounts authorized by P.L. If remaining funds are insufficient to reach $60,000, they are to be distributed equally among outlying areas receiving such funds; authorizing $232 million for Library Services and $38.6 million for Museum Services for FY2004, and such sums as may be necessary for FY2005-FY2009; locating advisory functions (which for libraries were previously delegated to the National Commission on Libraries and Information Sciences) within a new National Museum and Library Services Board (previously solely a Museum Services Board) in the IMLS; making the Chairman of the National Commission on Library and Information Science a member (nonvoting) of the national Museum and Library Services Board; requiring the Director to carry out and publish analyses of the impact of museum and library services, and increasing from 3% to 3.5% the amount available for federal administrative costs, to provide funding for this new function; prohibiting the use of IMLS funds for construction; and permitting the Director of the IMLS to make national awards for library service, in addition to the already authorized national awards for museum service.
Legislation reauthorizing the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) as Title IIâLibrary Services and Technology, of the Museum and Library Services Act of 2003 (MLSA), was signed into law ( P.L. 108-81 ) on September 25, 2003. The LSTA's authorization had expired at the end of FY2002; however, funding was not interrupted.
Library Services and Technology (LST) is administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The IMLS contains an Office of Museum Services (OMS) and an Office of Library Services (OLS). Beginning in FY2003, the OMS and the OLS were combined in one appropriation account within the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (L-HHS-ED) Appropriations bill. In the past there had been two funding streams, one account for OMS within the Department of the Interior Appropriations, and one for OLS within the L-HHS-ED Appropriations.
P.L. 108-81 authorized $232 million for LST in FY2004, and such sums as may be necessary for FY2005-FY2009. The bulk of LST funding is distributed to states via formula grants. Funding is also provided for library services for Native Americans, and for national activities. Participating states are required to develop five-year plans that set goals and priorities consistent with LST purposes (i.e., to enhance information-sharing networks and target library services to disadvantaged populations). The plans must provide for independent evaluations of federally assisted library services. A wide variety of types of librariesâpublic, public school, college or university, research (if they provide public access to their collections), and (at state discretion) private librariesâmay receive LST aid.
P.L. 108-81 provides for an increase in minimum state allotments for library services to $680,000, if the amount appropriated for a year, and available for state allotments, exceeds the amount of allotments to all states in FY2003. In addition, minimum state allotments for outlying areas are increased to $60,000, if appropriations in a given year are sufficient to meet the higher state minimums of $680,000.
Library Services received funding of $210.597 million in FY2006; the Administration has requested increasing that funding to $220.855 million for FY2007. The House Committee on Appropriations has recommended $220.855 million in funding for FY2007; the Senate Committee on Appropriations has recommended funding of $213.337 million.
This report will be updated in response to legislative developments.