ALA Statements on the Elimination of IMLS Library funding

March 24, 2025 9:20 AM

ALA FAQ about Executive Order From MeTa: "Perhaps someone else would make a MeFi post because.. I think it's something that Mefites might want to discuss? ALA = American Libraries Association"

ALA FAQ about Executive Order

ALA Press release

Thank you.

posted by bowbeacon (9 comments total)

I heard about this on r/fednews, they can't end the agency legally but the entire staff (of 75) was placed on administrative leave after DOGE came with private security force, swore the dept secretary of labor in as head of the agency in the lobby, and asked (without a warrant) for all employees' personal cell phones.

IMLS is an independent agency that administers about 275 million in grants that Congress has approved to museums and libraries, they have broad (like 95%) bipartisan support, the grants they administer go to things like summer reading programs, digital subscription services for rural libraries, and buying books for the blind.

The agency was funded through September, Congress didnt intend for it end. Needless to say ending it by putting everyone on admin leave, asking for employees cell phones with no warrant, having a head of agency who also heads another agency are all dubious and probably illegal moves.

Why do this to a tiny agency of 75 people that is broadly liked and supported? I guess for three reasons:

1) ALL independent agencies are on the chopping block, because the trump admins position is that every position in the entire federal government should be a political / partisan position and the executive's office should be able to fire and appoint any federal employee at will. They don't care about continuity in government services or what will happen if Dems win the next election and then also have these same broad sweeping powers because they don't intend to ever leave and don't care about government services.

2) Part of the same push that is closing the department of education and gutting science, health, environment and labor protections - a healthy educated populace is a threat to autocratic power

3) No one left to administer the grants, no one left to track where the money goes. Now they can use that grant money to fund only the things they agree with, or just pocket it themselves.

reddit post
posted by subdee at 10:29 AM on March 24 [10 favorites]

IMLS = institute for museum and library services.
posted by subdee at 10:34 AM on March 24 [7 favorites]

The March 20, 2025 IMLS news release on Keith Sonderling's appointment as Acting Director.
posted by calgirl at 11:11 AM on March 24

The March 20, 2025 IMLS news release on Keith Sonderling's appointment as Acting Director

He was apparently sworn in in the building lobby the morning DOGE arrived.
posted by reedbird_hill at 11:19 AM on March 24 [1 favorite]

4) they are foreign agents and the destruction of the USA is the point
posted by subdee at 11:49 AM on March 24 [6 favorites]

I don’t think they’re planning on allowing another election.
posted by JustSayNoDawg at 12:18 PM on March 24 [1 favorite]

These links are from the ALA statement:
Call on Congress to Protect Federal Library Funding
Fight Back with ALA (I choose not to include That Name in the link title)

There was a FPP the other day about sites that ask for your information. This is a worthy one, to me.
posted by winesong at 4:01 PM on March 24 [1 favorite]

I went to house.gov, got my congressperson's phone number, called, gave the agent my name and address, and told them that I support the IMLS and I hope my congressperson will, too. Took 1-2 minutes.
posted by Mirth at 4:50 PM on March 24 [3 favorites]

From my state's Deputy Secretary, Commissioner for Libraries, and State Librarian: "We received reassurance from the IMLS that because of the Continuing Resolution passed by Congress, our 10/2024-9/2025 award is still available to us and that they expect our 10/2025-9/2026 award to be ready for commitment later in April. We have some breathing room, in any case." The remainder of the communication is all reassurance and "we are in this together."

My hair is on fire over the evisceration of IMLS. "Reassurance" and "expect" are not comforting to me.

Please call your representatives and ask them to push back against the reduction of IMLS. Things like Libby, summer programming for kids, and digital development for rural communities depend on the timely and thorough administration of grants.
posted by MonkeyToes at 7:13 AM on March 25