An executive order mandates the elimination of seven agencies, including one that funds libraries around the country: the Institute of Museum and Library Services. It will have detrimental consequences for libraries and the services they provide for my community. I’m writing to voice my desire for funding to be restored.
If carried out, the order will jeopardize free educational, reading and literacy programs, internet for those without home access, homework and tutoring assistance and other resources for the public.
I believe the order runs counter to our values as a society and democracy and will come at a high cost to families living in underserved and rural areas who don’t have access to books and rely on interlibrary sharing agreements as a lifeline for learning. This funding is specifically targeted to facilitate the delivery of books and library materials to support interlibrary loan services.
This program is critical to supporting libraries that are dependent on borrowing materials from districts with larger collections and more financial resources.
I do not see how cutting programs like Project Next Generation will make America great again. This program educates at-risk students and bridges the digital divide, providing access to computers, software, and technologies.
The measure puts at risk the purchase of library materials and services at state corrections facilities aimed at reducing recidivism.
The funding at risk is used to support continuing education and professional development through grants to the Illinois libraries that provides library leadership training for public library directors.
I believe stripping these vital resources threatens the sustainability of libraries and amounts to a disinvestment in an educated and informed rather than a great society.
Amy Nathan, Albany Park
Pete Hegseth comments about the Iran bombing are ludicrous
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, referring to the recent bombing of Iran, said: “President Trump directed the most complex and secretive military operation in history.”
Got that?
I think Hegseth deserves the Sean Spicer Award for Most Outrageously Ludicrous Statement by a Government Official. Spicer, of course, had claimed that Trump’s first inauguration was “the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period, both in person and around the globe,” a claim that was easily debunked. Photos and reports showed Trump’s inauguration crowd was smaller than President Barack Obama’s. Kellyanne Conway, another Trump advisor, referred to Spicer’s statements as “alternative facts.”
Many people realized that Hegseth was a clown and a pathetic joke from the day he was nominated for the defense cabinet post. He continues to prove that those people were correct.
Bob Chimis, Elmwood Park
Illinois becomes a leader for access to Alzheimer’s care
With the recent enactment of Senate Bill 126, Illinois will mandate that state-regulated insurance plans cover FDA-approved Alzheimer’s treatments — a historic step toward better care, earlier diagnosis and a future with more hope for families affected by this devastating disease.
Gov. JB Pritzker’s signing of this landmark law also ensures that patients will no longer be delayed by “step therapy,” an insurance practice that forces individuals to try less-expensive — and often ineffective — treatments before gaining access to the medications or treatments their doctors originally prescribed. For people living with Alzheimer’s, time is not a luxury. Every moment matters. This legislation removes harmful obstacles and affirms that those impacted by dementia deserve timely, evidence-based care.
Additionally, the law requires insurance coverage for diagnostic testing at a physician’s request, ensuring that patients receive accurate diagnoses before treatment begins. Currently, 250,600 Illinoisans are living with Alzheimer’s or a related dementia — a number that is expected to grow. The need for accessible and affordable care has never been greater.
This victory would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of advocates, families, and legislators, as well as a willingness to collaborate with the insurance industry. We’re grateful for the leadership of legislative sponsors state Sen. Laura Murphy, D-Des Plaines, and state Rep. Mary Gill, D-Chicago and for the bipartisan commitment to addressing one of the most urgent health challenges of our time.
Illinois is a national leader in access to Alzheimer’s care. We urge other states to follow our example — because patients and caregivers everywhere deserve the same chances at more time, more memories, and more dignity.
Delia Jervier, regional vice president, executive director of the Illinois Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association