T-R PHOTO BY LANA BRADSTREAM — Seven Marshalltown residents use the computers at the Marshalltown Public Library on Sunday. The nonprofit organization United Today, Stronger Tomorrow had a meeting to discuss the challenges libraries, such as Marshalltown’s, are facing due to legislation in Iowa.

The challenges the Marshalltown Public Library and others across the state are facing from the Iowa Legislature have attracted the attention of United Today, Stronger Tomorrow (UTST), a nonprofit organization which partners with communities “to ensure governments are building a better future.”

UTST Regional Organizer Dave Bushaw organized a Thursday Zoom meeting, “Read Between the Lines: Leave Our Libraries Alone.” He invited various leaders and residents across Iowa, including Marshalltown. Three Marshalltown residents attended, along with 21 other Iowans concerned about the future of their libraries.

“We can debate why [the legislature] is going after libraries all day,” he said.

Bushaw showed attendees a quick slideshow of legislation affecting Iowa libraries. First, House File 718 which consolidates levies, taking funds away from 10 percent of the libraries, including Marshalltown. Introduced in 2023, the file did pass.

“Marshalltown is facing potentially losing $200,000 in this levy funding, rolling out over a four-year period,” he said. “I believe there are discussions on how to make up $50,000 this year. The next year will be $100,000, the year after $150,000. The last thing we need is four years later, libraries closing down to two days per week, blaming the local city councils for it.”

Then Senate Study Bills 3131 and 3168 which transfer power from library boards to city councils and give the councils the power to hire directors. The last is House Study Bill 678 which is the companion bill of 3168, and includes the ability to overturn library board policy decisions on matters such as book selection. All three study bills were introduced in 2024.

Bushaw said the study bills make it so the library boards lose to the city councils all the time.

“Many city councilors have said the library boards work,” he said. “We don’t need this extra burden, so we’re trying to understand what is the drive for the legislature to do this.”

One action Bushaw suggested people take is readiness as any of the bills can resurface as amendments to bills which have made it through the subcommittee. He said they will more than likely return in 2025. Obtaining education on how these actions are taken, and the different entities involved was encouraged. Working to build grass roots and work with city councils to pass resolutions was another suggestion.

“We have to be ready for it,” he said. “I’m sick and tired of us folks in Iowa always being reactionary. Let’s be ready to fight this, build a base of power and combat these things that don’t make sense.”

Bushaw asked attendees why libraries were important to them, and Marshalltown resident Erika Ortiz shared her thoughts.

“Everything includes literacy,” she said. “It breaks my heart when I see these children who don’t know how to read. The library has always been a place where children can go, read and let their imagination go. That’s where it starts, and everything regarding medical, administrative, anything, involves reading. The library promotes that, encourages that. That’s the type of atmosphere we want to have around for a long time. Without reading, without literacy, we’re incompetent.”

Attendee and Marshalltown resident Sally Wilson said it is important to note libraries serve as hubs for marginalized communities, particularly immigrants. They are dependent on libraries to get help with paperwork to apply for visas, citizenship. She said they go to the library to find jobs and use the computers there to apply.

“I don’t know who the people are that are making these legislative decisions,” Wilson said. “I don’t think they use libraries much. I don’t think they go to the libraries. I don’t think they see the thousands of people who go through there on a daily basis.”

Also attending was Sam Helmick, the community and access services coordinator for Iowa City Public Library. She said Iowans have a sense libraries are important, which is why the state has more per capita than any other state in the nation.

Helmick said the challenges are part of an ongoing culture war with trusting library boards and the books on the shelf — both of which distract from the class war.

“Libraries are community anchors which meet the social, equitable, economic gaps,” she said. “There’s a lot of money to be had if we privatize libraries. I think the idea we are not using libraries is a narrative propagated by those who may not be, and it’s a larger, national mission to privatize public services.”

Bushaw agreed with Helmick, and said Iowa is a testing ground for movements. If the library attacks succeed in Iowa, he said they can elsewhere. Therefore, he said what the state does now will define what happens across the country.

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Contact Lana Bradstream at (641) 753-6611 ext. 210 or lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.