Nearly Half of Connecticut Libraries Discontinue Passport Services Due to Federal Policy Change

Hartford Public Library (HPL) is no longer accepting passport applications, as of Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, following updates to the Code of Federal Regulations that removed nonprofit organizations, including 501(c)(3) public libraries, from serving as passport acceptance agencies.

For the past 15 years, HPL’s passport office has served neighborhood residents, families, students, and first-time applicants as a convenient local resource. The library, funded in part by the City of Hartford but operating as an independent nonprofit, said the change represents a significant loss for community members who have relied on its services.

HPL has been contacting individuals with appointments after Feb. 27 to provide guidance on alternative passport acceptance facilities.

“Our mission has always been to meet people where they are and connect them with the resources they need,” said Bridget E. Quinn, HPL’s president and CEO. “We are disheartened to share this news with our community. Public libraries are trusted institutions that provide access not only to information but also to civic services. This change further limits access to critical government services for those who may face additional barriers.”

The Associated Press has reported that the U.S. State Department ordered certain public libraries nationwide to cease processing passport applications, disrupting a long-standing service that librarians say their communities have come to rely on and that has run smoothly for years.

The federal agency, which regulates U.S. passports, began issuing cease and desist orders to not-for-profit libraries in late fall, informing them they were no longer authorized to participate in the Passport Acceptance Facility program, effective in February.

The American Library Association has estimated that about 1,400 mostly non-profit public libraries nationwide could potentially be affected, or about 15% of all public libraries, depending on how many offer passport services.  In Connecticut, it is nearly half, according to the American Library Association.

The Ridgefield Library, according to its website, “has served our community by completing nearly 6,000 passport acceptance appointments since being certified by the federal government to be a Passport Acceptance Facility in 2014.”

The posted explanation continues:  “This designation requires annual exams by the Library staff certified to serve as agents and federal inspection of the Library acceptance site. The Library passed the most recent inspection with a score of 100 out of 100. As the U.S. State Department letter stated, “The decision to remove your facility from the Passport Program is not a reflection of your facility’s performance or to the value that you provide your community.”

Ridgefield Library Director Brenda McKinley, said “We are deeply concerned to lose this service. For well over a decade, the Ridgefield Library has provided efficient, accessible and supportive passport acceptance service for individuals and families…”  

Stamford’s Ferguson Library has offered passport services since 1999 and processed almost 8,000 applications last year, according to a noticed posted to the library’s website.

“This change will have a significant impact on the library’s ability to provide services to the public, and we are actively exploring sustainable funding alternatives to reduce the impact of this change,” the statement noted. 

Among the many libraries in Connecticut impacted, The Farmington Libraries announced they “will cease passport operations at the direction of the U.S. Department of State. Under new federal government guidelines, only government agencies are allowed to provide passport services.” 

Their website has been updated to indicate that “The Farmington Libraries are no longer authorized to accept and process passports,” adding that “This directive excludes all 501(c)(3) Nonprofits from the Passport Acceptance Facility program, regardless of their relationship to the government or their government funded status.”  The Farmington Libraries ended passport services on February 13.