The U.S. State Department has ordered certain nonprofit public libraries nationwide to cease processing passport applications, a move that librarians say disrupts a long-standing service relied upon by their communities. The orders, which began in late fall of 2025, stem from the State Department’s determination that federal law prohibits non-governmental organizations from collecting and retaining fees for passport applications.
Cathleen Special, executive director of the Otis Library in Norwich, Connecticut, said her library received a cease and desist letter in November, ending a service offered for 18 years. “We still receive calls daily seeking that service,” she said. The Norwich post office, she added, had frequently directed individuals to the library for assistance, particularly those needing appointments outside of regular postal hours or requiring help with complex paperwork.
The policy change is expected to disproportionately affect states where a significant portion of public libraries operate as nonprofit entities. According to the American Library Association (ALA), 85% of public libraries in Pennsylvania are organized as nonprofits, compared to 56% in Maine, 54% in Rhode Island, 47% in Novel York, and 46% in Connecticut. The ALA estimates that approximately 1,400 libraries, representing around 15% of all public libraries nationwide, could be affected.
In response, bipartisan legislation has been proposed in Congress to amend the Passport Act of 1920 and allow nonprofit public libraries to continue serving as passport acceptance facilities. Representatives Madeleine Dean (D-PA) and John Joyce (R-PA) introduced a bill in the House (H.R.6997), and Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) introduced a companion bill in the Senate (S.3733). Dean, who learned of the policy change from a library in her district that had provided passport services for two decades, described the State Department’s interpretation of the law as “nonsense.”
Representative Joyce highlighted the impact on rural areas, citing the Marysville-Rye Library in his district as one of only two passport facilities serving Perry County, Pennsylvania, a 556-square-mile area. With the library no longer authorized to process applications, the county courthouse will be the sole remaining option.
The State Department maintains that the vast majority of Americans have access to passport services. A spokesperson stated that 99% of the U.S. Population lives within 20 miles of a designated passport processing location, including post offices, county clerk’s offices, and government-run libraries. The agency also indicated it would work to identify new eligible partners in areas affected by the change, stating, “Should the removal of an ineligible facility affect passport services, we will work to identify new eligible program partners in the impacted area.”
However, Special expressed concern about the increased burden on the Norwich post office, which she believes is already struggling to keep up with demand. She noted that library staff had previously assisted applicants with language barriers, a service that may no longer be readily available.
The ALA formally endorsed the congressional legislation on February 13, 2026, with ALA President Sam Helmick stating that public libraries “tailor their offerings to their communities’ needs” and that any library currently authorized to provide passport acceptance services should be able to continue doing so.
The State Department has not responded to questions regarding the timing of the policy change or the exact number of libraries impacted by the cease and desist orders.
