On Friday, the president signed yet another Executive Order, this time directly targeting funds allocated to libraries and museums nationwide. The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is a federal agency that distributes fund approved by Congress to state libraries, as well as library, museum, and archival grant programs. IMLS is the only federal agency that provides funds to libraries.
The Executive Order states that the functions of the IMLS have to be reduced to “statutory functions” and that in places that are not statutory, expenses must be cut as much as possible.
Statutory functions of ILMS include federal funding to state libraries through several programs, including Grants to States, the National Leadership Grant program, and all current contracts, grants, and awards.
The EveryLibrary Institute–a nonprofit charitable organization dedicated to research, writing, and similar activities related to libraries across the country–outlined the functions that the IMLS shall do (statutory functions) and those which is may do (non-statutory). Among the services that the IMLS shall do include the Grants to States Program, State Plan Requirements for Library Grants, Native American Library Services, National Leadership Grants Program, IMLS Administration, Policy Research, Data Collection, and Dissemination, as well as certain grants and contracts. Among the services the IMLS may do include Awards and Medals, Museum Services Activities, Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program, 21st Century Museum Professional Program, and other programs including Technical Assistance for Museums and Libraries Public-Private Partnerships, and Support for Digital Literacy and Emerging Technologies.
In other words, most money used to develop a strong, knowledgeable, and cutting edge workforce within up-to-date institutions could be irreparably slashed. This aligns with the years’ long battle that’s been underway nationwide in libraries–think bills targeting library worker involvement in the American Library Association or state library associations and bills which seek to criminalize librarians, both of which seek to disenfranchise workers from a larger, nationwide network of support.
While Congress is required to at least send federal funding to state libraries through the Grants to States program, the way that Executive Orders have been interpreted by Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) opens up plenty of spaces where cuts could do deep damage to publicly-funded libraries nationwide. We’ve already seen this play out in other government departments since the president took office in January.
The American Library Association released a statement following the news:
To dismiss some 75 committed workers and mission of an agency that advances opportunity and learning is to dismiss the aspirations and everyday needs of millions of Americans. And those who will feel that loss most keenly live in rural communities.
Indeed, while every person who utilizes libraries in some capacity will feel the pain of such cuts, it will be those who most likely voted for this administration who feel it most. Rural libraries receive more aid from the federal government to stay afloat than their peer libraries in suburban and urban areas.
IMLS is but a fraction of a fraction of the federal government’s budget, 0.0046% of the overall budget at $280 million dollars. The department has seven days to report back, meaning that as soon as this Friday, March 21, 2025, public libraries–including school and academic libraries–as well as public museums could see their budgets demolished.
Several state library associations and library professionals shared the impact the slashing of IMLS would have on libraries and their users after the Executive Order was signed. The Michigan Library Association noted that the Michigan Electronic Library (MeL and MeLcat), a centralized catalog and resource-sharing service created to lend and share materials among all types of libraries in Michigan, would cease to exist if this funding and agency are dismantled and databases used by school and academic libraries would cease to exist. Iowans would lose Interlibrary Loans, STEM and literacy programs, as well as access to sources of ebooks and digital audiobooks. You can peruse the IMLS’s database of grant recipients to see where and how some of the department’s money has been allocated.
Other institutions, notably public universities and colleges, have not made statements about the impact of the cuts due to fears around what speaking out might do to them under this administration.
It is crucial that library advocates speak up now, whether or not you’ve been engaged in pro-library advocacy since the astronomical rise of targeted attacks on these public institutions of democracy over the last several years.
As nice as it is to support your local library right now through signing up for a library card, utilizing their collections and digital offerings, and volunteering, those steps will not make an impact on federal level threats like this. Continue to do those things, but know that it is your responsibility as a citizen in a representative democracy to speak up and with your federal level legislators right now. The stakes are extremely high and extremely real.
Here’s how you can speak up in support of the IMLS and libraries right now:
- Sign the petition at EveryLibrary to stop Trump’s Executive Order seeking to gut the IMLS then share it with your networks.
- Write a letter to each of your Senators and to your Representative at the federal level. You can find your Senators here and your Representative here. All you need to say in this letter is that you, a resident of their district, demand they speak up and defend the budget of IMLS. Include a short statement of where and how you value the library, as well as its importance in your community. This can be as short as “I use the library to find trusted sources of information, and every time I am in there, the public computers are being used by a variety of community members doing everything from applying for jobs to writing school papers. Cutting the funds for libraries will further harm those who lack stable internet, who cannot afford a home library, and who seek the opportunities to engage in programming, learning, enrichment, and entertainment in their own community. Public libraries help strengthen reading and critical thinking skills for all ages.” In those letters, consider noting that the return on investment on libraries is astronomical. You can use data from EveryLibrary.
- Call the offices of each of your Senators and Representatives in Congress. Yes, they’ll be busy. Yes, the voice mails will be full. KEEP CALLING. Get your name on the record against IMLS cuts. Do this in addition to writing a letter. If making a call creates anxiety, use a tool like 5 Calls to create a script you can read when you reach a person or voice mail.
- Though your state-level representatives will not have the power to impact what happens with IMLS, this is your time to reach out to each of your state representatives to emphasize the importance of your state’s public libraries. Note that in light of potential cuts from the federal government, you advocate for stronger laws protecting libraries and library workers, as well as stronger funding models for these institutions.
- Show up at your next public library meeting, either in person at a board meeting or via an email or letter, and tell the library how much it means to you. In an era where information that is not written down and documented simply doesn’t exist, nothing is more crucial than having your name attached to some words about the importance of your public library. This does not need to be genius work–tell the library how you use their services and how much they mean to you as a taxpayer.
- Tell everyone you know what is at stake. If you’ve not been speaking up for public institutions over the last several years, despite the red flags and warnings that have been building and building, it is not too late to begin now. EveryLibrary’s primer and petition is an excellent resource to give folks who may be unaware of what’s going on–or who want just the most important information.
Note: IMLS funding cuts will impact museums as well. For more information on the impact of IMLS on museums, take some time to read this press release from the American Alliance of Museums. This includes several template letters and scripts for reaching out to your representatives.
