BUFFALO, N.Y. — If you go to the Frank Merriweather Library on Buffalo's East Side, there's a good chance you'll see Dr. Eva Doyle.

The retired public school teacher, author and activist who is turning 80 next year says she started going to libraries when she was 10 years old.

"This library is my second home," Doyle said.

Doyle's not just checking out books at the library. She regularly helps organize community programming there, a fact the facility's manager pointed out as the library named its auditorium after her.

"He said, 'we went through the files: do you realize that you have done more than 100 programs in that auditorium for our young people, for our adults?'" she recounted.

Erie County leaders reiterated the importance of these facilities at a Thursday press conference. They said more than $8 million in funding from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services supports things like summer reading programs, teen services and digitization throughout the state.

County Executive Mark Poloncarz said he sees it when he visits them.

"It's not the libraries of old when it was just, 'shhh, you've got to be quiet because people are reading.' It is used for so many different purposes. Especially for education of our youngest citizens, which are of course our greatest investment," he said.

Last month, President Donald Trump issued an executive order dismantling the IMLS agency. Attorneys general across the country, including New York's, are challenging the order in court.

This week, Buffalo Congressman Tim Kennedy sent a letter to the administration demanding it reverse course.

"The Institute of Museum and Library Services was created by an act of Congress and those funds are obligated to be used to support libraries and museums, period," Kennedy said.

The Buffalo and Erie County system's Deputy Director of Public Services, Dorinda Darden, said it will not be hit as hard as other communities because the county, at more than $20 million a year, is the primary funding source. However, it said other libraries do not have the same local support and across New York, facilities depend on the state library, which will be directly impacted, for operating and construction aid.

"The loss of that funding, a reduction in the funding or delays in receipts would be devastating to communities," Darden said.

Doyle said she doesn't protest often these days, but she will this time.

"If you try to take our libraries away, I will be walking in front of this library with my cane and a sign. Hands off. This library is too important," she said.

Leaders said if people are concerned as well, they should speak out, reach out to representatives, donate and show up and use libraries.