During this year’s National Library Week, the American Library Association (ALA) is focused less on celebration and more on survival, filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the dismantling of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
The lawsuit, joined by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, alleges that Trump’s March 14 executive order — titled “Continuing The Reduction Of The Federal Bureaucracy” — illegally gutted IMLS by firing its board, dismissing most staff, and pulling critical grant funding without Congressional approval. IMLS is the only federal agency solely dedicated to supporting U.S. libraries, which use its grants for technology, books, and educational programs.
Major publishers including Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster voiced support for restoring IMLS funding, stating libraries are “essential” for literacy and community well-being. Critics, including ALA President Emily Drabinski, link the cuts to broader efforts to censor educational and DEI-related content.
The lawsuit claims “irreparable harm” has already been done to over 17,000 library systems.
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