Federal funding cuts could impact Valentine Public Library services

VALENTINE, Neb. — Libraries across the country are bracing for reductions after a loss of federal funding, and the Valentine Public Library is among those feeling the effects. This week, the Cherry County Board of Commissioners discussed how to absorb the cuts.

County Commissioner Martin DeNaeyer said the reduced funding essentially eliminates support for the bookmobile, a mobile library that serves residents across Cherry County and functions as the primary library for students at five schools.

Valentine Public Library Director Carrie Graham told commissioners that without the bookmobile, schools would be left scrambling.

“If you don’t have a circulating library, you’re going to have to have a library in the school,” Graham said. “The schools would probably be scrambling to purchase a library quickly.”

Building school libraries is not as simple as buying books, Graham noted. New requirements passed by the Nebraska Legislature under LB 390 add additional responsibilities for districts beginning in the 2026–27 school year. Those requirements include creating a catalog of all library books — organized by school building — that must be accessible to parents, and offering parents the option to be notified when their child checks out a book, including the title, author, and due date.

Graham said the bookmobile isn’t just used by students. In fact, about 70 percent of the library’s checkouts come from residents who live outside Valentine city limits.

“I would hate to think of the bookmobile going away,” County Commissioner Mike McConaughey said. “Cherry County is too big, and the schools on your list would struggle with building a library. We would just be shifting costs for taxpayers.”

Commissioners said the library has enough funding to maintain current services through the end of the fiscal year, but long-term solutions are needed.

“Obviously no one wants to close the library. That’s not what we’re discussing,” Commissioner Nina Nelson said. “But we need to find alternative funding solutions.”

Commissioners and library leaders plan to meet again next month to explore possible options.