How Federal Funding for Libraries Helps Salute the Troops

Located across the country, veterans and military families are putting down roots and engaging with local communities. While they make up a significant part of the populace, many civilians report having little understanding of military service despite appreciating them, and likely interacting with them.

Libraries and museums already provide resources that veterans, service members, and their families engage with. From the veteran using the scanners to upload honorable-discharge papers while job hunting, to the child missing their deployed parent while listening to a storytime. These invisible patrons face unique challenges that libraries and museums are especially situated in the community to address. 

In 2016 the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) launched the Community Salute initiative to study how libraries and museums could strengthen their support to this community. Their reports emphasised four opportunity areas important for integrating into civilian life: community connections, successful post-service transition, economic security, and health and wellness.  

As every library and museum community is different, their solutions and capacity for serving the needs of their veteran and military family populations will reflect that.

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Here are some recent IMLS funded programs that directly benefit veterans and military families:

California State Library

Utilizing a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant, administered by IMLS, the California State Library conducted a ten year program called Veterans Connect @ the Library. The aim of this program was to strengthen library services to veterans and connect them to their benefits. The program ran from 2012 to 2022 and includes mental health resources, job training, and guidance to libraries on how to serve the veteran community. Resources are still available online and many public libraries continue to host veteran programming, alongside community partners. 

USS Constitution Museum

This Boston, MA museum launched the Salute to Service initiative as a platform for communication, education, and connection between the military and civilian communities. Its goal is to become a trusted space for the military community through targeted programs and services. These programs provide a gateway for civilian participants to elevate their understanding of service members roles and sacrifices. 

New York Botanical Garden

Most recently, in 2024, the New York Botanical Garden, in partnership with the James J. Peters VA Medical Center, was awarded a grant to implement the second phase of its Therapeutic Horticulture and Rehabilitative Interventions for Veteran Engagement (THRIVE) program. Every Monday veterans are invited to get their hands in the dirt, working with plants to ease depression and anxiety, promote mental health, and cultivate community. This second phase will expand programming and outreach. 

But that’s not all…

IMLS funds do even more to preserve the stories and artifacts of service members. Making sure veteran perspectives and military history is saved for future generations. Learn more on the IMLS website.