ILF & Advocacy

Recent Updates

Please read this Inside Indiana Business article - Under Attack: Indiana Libraries, Museums Reeling from Federal, State Funding Cuts

Please click here for ILF's Proclamation for National School Library Month

Please click here for ILF's Open Letter to Legislators on State Library Funding

Please click here for ILF's Statement on the Amended SB 1: Property Tax Reform

Please click here for ILF's Official Statement on IMLS Funding Cuts

• Click here for a 2-page handout explaining ILF's talking points
  

• Click here for a sample script

Please direct any questions regarding this statement to ILF President, Julie Wendorf: [email protected].

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• Click here for ILF's Statement on State Library Budget Cuts

• Click here for a 2-page PDF on how 30% funding cuts would impact the State Library
  

• Read the Presidents’ Statement on Indiana Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Funding by clicking HERE (updated on 2/26/2025). 

• Click here for ILF's 2025 Legislative Priorities

• Click here for the ILF Board's statement on SB 1 (updated on 2/26/2025) and click here for the Impact of SB 1 on Indiana Libraries description.

• Click here for a list of Fiscal Impact to Individual Units. 

• Follow this link for a schedule of 2025 Third House Sessions. We will continue adding to it as we learn more. 

• Here is the active list of 2025 bills via IGA.in.gov.

The Library Advocacy Update is issued weekly during the legislative session for anyone who subscribes. The 2025 legislative session is expected to begin on January 8, 2025 and wrap by April 29, 2025. ILF membership is required to receive these weekly updates.

• Register for Bi-Weekly Legislative Update Calls. These are held from 4:00-5:00pm ET/3:00-4:00pm CT:
• March 26, April 9 and April 23 calls
• Click here to register for the April 30 call

Current Advocacy Committee Members

Below are the members of the 2025 Advocacy Committee - please contact the Chairs below to report an issue:

• Vanessa Martin - Co-Chair
• Chad Heck - Co-Chair
• Julie Wendorf - ILF President
• Camille Blunt - Taft Public Affairs
• Mark Shublak - Taft Public Affairs
• Susan Baier
• Sarah Corell
• Jason Hatton
• Kelly Hladek
• Scott Kinney
• Jake Speer
• Bob Swanay
• Edra Waterman
• Shane White

Previous Statements

• ILF's Original Statement on SB 1
• ILF's 2024 Statehouse Day Legislative Priorities
• ILF Statement on SB 32
• ILF Board Statement in Response to Censorship in Indiana Libraries
• Freedom to Read in Defense of Democracy
• ILF Statement on SB 202
• ILF Statement on HEA 1447
• ILF Past and Current Presidents Statement in Response to SB 12
• ILF Statement on SB 283

Be an Advocacy Insider

ILF works on behalf of all libraries, but if you want to be in the know, consider becoming a member today and you can access the following: 

• Taft Reports & Bill Tracking List - members may access the "inside scoop" about statehouse happenings and bills that may affect Indiana's libraries through reports and a bill tracking list provided by Taft Communications, ILF's contracted legislative advocates.
• Virtual Advocacy Updates - Bi-weekly updates to members via Zoom during each General Assembly session.
• Advocacy Committee Minutes - members can read through recent ILF Advocacy Committee minutes to see what policy issues are being debated internally.

Take Action

Learn how you can take action and influence policy makers to the range of services the modern library provides. 

Questions? Please contact Kyle Hickman, Executive Director.