Now they’re coming for the libraries and the librarians! Museums, too.
Following attacks on universities and colleges, and elimination of the Department of Education, there’s definitely a theme to these assaults on institutions of learning.
On Friday night, DLT signed another executive order calling for the elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the nation’s only federal agency for America’s libraries. This one hits close to home for most families and communities.
“IMLS is an independent federal agency that supports libraries, archives, and museums of all kinds in every U.S. state and territory. Funding for IMLS is authorized by Congress through an annual appropriations process,” according to the website Ilovelibraries.com. “In 2024, IMLS provided $266.7 million to America’s libraries, museums, and cultural institutions through grants, policymaking, and research.”
Americans have loved and relied on public, school, and academic libraries for generations. By eliminating the only federal agency dedicated to funding library services, the Trump Administration’s executive order is cutting off at the knees the most beloved and trusted of American institutions and the staff and services they offer, including early literacy development, summer reading programs for kids, high-speed internet access, employment assistance for job seekers, braille and talking books for people with visual impairments, and so much more.
The American Library Association issued a statement.
Americans have loved and relied on public, school and academic libraries for generations. By eliminating the only federal agency dedicated to funding library services, the Trump administration’s executive order is cutting off at the knees the most beloved and trusted of American institutions and the staff and services they offer:
Early literacy development and grade-level reading programs
Summer reading programs for kids?
High-speed internet access
Employment assistance for job seekers?
Braille and talking books for people with visual impairments
Homework and research resources for students and faculty
Veterans’ telehealth spaces equipped with technology and staff support
STEM programs, simulation equipment and training for workforce development
Small business support for budding entrepreneursTo 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.?
As seedbeds of literacy and innovation, our nation’s 125,000 public, school, academic and special libraries deserve more, not less support. Libraries of all types translate 0.003% of the federal budget into programs and services used in more than 1.2 billion in-person patron visits every year, and many more virtual visits.
The American Alliance of Museums is providing updates on the developing situation.
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This is sad. I hope they don’t start burning books.
Next are the families being rounded up and herded into bad places. This is really the end. But, I have made peace with my fate.
Barack Obama: “Elections have consequences.”
Following the playbook, books will be next – our freedom of the press is in grave danger. Keep sounding the alarm, Ian.
I read the link provided from The American Alliance of Museums. They are not just about keepings libraries and Museums open. Their “advocacy” statements, whether one agrees with them or not, is VERY left leaning and not representative of half of American’s viewpoints.
In the country where I was raised, freedom of speech and freedom of expression were highly prized values. Perhaps your upbringing was different.
I really don’t think Paul Kaye was advocating against freedom of speech or freedom of expression. He was just pointing out that The American Alliance of Museums advocacy statement was left leaning and not representative of most Americans values.
At a community meeting, it was revealed that our Intermediate School will be closing their library! We were all shocked and dismayed! However, a recent Civil Beat article indicates this is happening Statewide due to budgets
https://www.civilbeat.org/2025/03/hawai%CA%BBi-school-libraries-are-shrinking-when-students-may-need-them-most/
How sad, Im glad our public Library is near the schools. Our community association will continue to support the Friends of the Library and raise funding for our town Library. We worked hard to get our Library built in the first place and probably would volunteer to keep it open!