BREAKING:
The Trump administration has filed an appeal over Rhode Island v. Trump, which barred the administration from further dismantling the IMLS.
That, plus the IMLS propaganda-laden grant application period.
bookriot.com/rhode-island...
Texas HB 900 has been permanently enjoined and the part of the bill requiring booksellers to rate books has been overturned! @bookpeople www.expressnews.com/politics/art...
IMLS updates and calls to action.
Knowing this was coming was still not preparation for it coming.
Call. Write. Advocate. There is a *tiny* window of opportunity to stop this closure.
#libraries #museums #IMLS
We now have the details of the federal 2026 budget proposal, and it spells the end of IMLS. The request is $6,000,000 to "conduct an orderly closeout of IMLS."
Whatever happens in the 2 court cases would be moot if this passes.
bookriot.com/the-2026-fed...
I feel like our community isn’t really doing quite enough to prepare for a post-IMLS, post-NEH future. #dh #digitalhumanities
29 states who failed to join the lawsuit will not get their IMLS grants reinstated. Those state leaders should feel the pressure for losing federal money for their constituents.
Maybe it’s also time to tell your city officials that you love your library and that the destruction of the IMLS grant funding structure is going to hurt your ability to be able to get the things listed below.
"The President released his proposed budget for fiscal year 2026, which would begin October 1, 2025. That proposal includes a total annihilation of the budget for the IMLS."
bookriot.com/the-latest-f...
UPDATE: Judge Leon has GRANTED a "narrow" restraining order barring DOGE from further dismantling the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) or pausing/terminating grants.
The order does not require IMLS to restore the status of its staff for now.
Email sent from IMLS to state librarians reads: "Pursuant to 20 USC § 9134 and your obligations under the Grant Award Guidance and Statement of Assurances and Certifications, please provide IMLS with the following information: Whether and how federal taxpayer dollars provided to you under the Grants to States program have been used, or are still being used, to subsidize programs that conflict with government policy as found below: Executive Order 14151, Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing, and Executive Order 14253, Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History, and Executive Orders 13899 and 14188, Combating Anti-Semitism and Additional Measures To Combat Anti-Semitism, and Executive Order 14168, Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government, and Executive Order 14202, Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias, and Executive Order 14190, Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling, and How federal taxpayer dollars provided to you under the Grants to States program are being used to facilitate access to resources that cultivate an educated and informed American citizenry, and How you plan to involve your agencies in the upcoming celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States of America? Kindly provide this information by Monday, May 5, 2025 to stateprograms@imls.gov with the subject line “Response to IMLS Request for Information.” IMLS appreciates your dedication to serving the American public."
While you're distracted by a SCOTUS case about inclusive books in schools, the new leader at the IMLS is demanding that state librarians share what their grant money is being used for.
I told you this would happen, and here it is.
I don’t even have words right now. It’s just fear for myself, my profession, my library and my patrons. #libraries #FirstAmendmeny #FreeSpeech #IMLS buttondown.com/wellsourced/...
This is even worse than straight-up dismantling IMLS. They want to turn us into propaganda machines.
Sreenshot of paragraph from Amy Johnson Crow's newsletter titled "Just here for the Genealogy:" "The cold, hard truth of it is that funding for things like libraries, archives, and museums is political. Whether it’s the federal government, a state legislature, a city council, or a local library board, there are politics involved in the decisions that are made. What gets funded, and what gets cut? What records get published, and what becomes restricted? Those decisions are political."
@amyjohnsoncrow.bsky.social's response in her recent newsletter to those complaining about bringing politics into genealogy, RE: library budget cuts and the attack on IMLS.
I agree 100%, and people need to understand this.
The loss of IMLS is like Mt St Helen blowing up. It may be decades before we see a return to some new state of normal. Your library friends are not ok. They are scared for themselves, for their patrons, for the services they provide and for the future of libraries. 2/2 #libraries
Fund Libraries. Tell Congress to invest in libraries. ALA American Library Association, #FundLibraries
Each year Congress crafts a budget proposal that funds agencies across government, including the Institute of Museum & Library Services (IMLS). Tell Congress to provide sustained funding for IMLS in FY26: bit.ly/FundLibraries26House
Learn more about how you can take action: ala.org/fundlibraries
In case you're curious or sad or angry, there will be an initial hearing in Rhode Island v. Trump - this is the case of 21 states suit to stop the dismantling of the #IMLS. You can watch it, starting at 10am, on www.youtube.com/@USCourtsRID
Black and white photo of a little longhaired white kitten sitting on a white fabric and lace doily. Below it is text that reads “Parlor Ornament”. The kitten looks at the viewer with an innocent expression.
“Parlor Ornament”. Postcard from my collection, 1906.
Texas HB3225 will be heard at State Affairs committee April 14. This bill would set up age restrictions for public libraries. Remember when they said you can just check it out at the public library? #bookbans
The State Department is asking employees to report any "anti-Christian bias" they experienced during theBiden administration, Politico reports and I've independently confirmed. www.politico.com/news/2025/04...
Images of the snitch portal they set up that were shared with me:
Contact members of the Texas House State Affairs committee and tell them to vote "no" on SB412 which would criminalize all educators for just doing their job. house.texas.gov/committees/c...
Last night another round of IMLS grant termination letters were sent out. If, like AMIA, you received notice that your grant has been terminated, the National Council of Nonprofits suggests a checklist of what to do. buff.ly/hgrIFW1
The fed has shut down IMLS, the only national service for libraries & museums. We’ve lost funding for grants that allow for interlibrary loan deliveries, book purchases, tech programs to close the digital divide for at-risk youth, and ADA & safety compliant facilities
Does your local library matter to you? Your pressure matters. Ohio GOP just scaled back some cuts to Ohio’s libraries due to extreme outcry.
Keep speaking up for libraries!📣 www.cleveland.com/news/2025/04...
@ach.bsky.social has organised impact.ach.org to document terminated NEH awards. This a resource I wish we never needed.
Grants left and right are being prematurely ended. Some that really matter to me are 1/n
The American Library Association is suing President Trump to stop the illegal dismantling of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and we’re joined by the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
ALA alleges that plaintiffs have taken illegal actions to systematically destroy IMLS, including canceling millions of dollars in grants to states & libraries and placing career IMLS staff on administrative leave. The President’s executive order and actions put all library services at risk and take away funding from states to support their libraries & communities.
ALA is suing to reinstate IMLS grant funding and staff. We have requested that the court direct the President and Acting Director to reverse their unlawful actions and cease any further attempts to dissolve the agency. Congress created and funded IMLS through law. That funding MUST be used as intended by Congress.
Today we filed suit in federal court to halt and reverse the gutting of the only federal agency dedicated to library funding. We will not allow these illegal actions against Americans and our libraries to go unchallenged.
Learn more about the suit: ala.org/IMLS-suit (2/3)
my offer to america: we bring woke back
