Milwaukee Central Library, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, National Register of Historic Places. Designed by Ferry & Clas. License
More major changes are being made by the Trump administration in an effort to reduce the federal bureaucracy. On March 14th, President Trump signed an executive order calling to dismantle seven federal agencies after deeming them "unnecessary." Among these is the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), which supports libraries, archives, and museums nationwide by providing grants and resources—particularly in underserved areas—to enhance cultural institutions.
This week, museums and libraries across the country have been making the impact of these cuts known.
In response to the order, the American Library Association (ALA) released a statement on Instagram. "To dismiss the 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,” the ALA shared, emphasizing their anger and disappointment towards the decision to eliminate the IMLS.
Another call to action post encouraged their followers to contact their local representatives to protect library funding. The ALA wrote, “IMLS draws less than 0.003% of the annual federal budget yet has enormous impact in communities nationwide.” A map on the IMLS website details this impact, where users can click on every state and U.S. territory to view the total amount of grants awarded, along with further information as to what the proceeds have gone towards.
With this extreme reduction in funding, lower income communities will likely face some of the most damaging effects. In rural places in the Midwest, libraries and museums act as an accessible gateway to education. Museums foster creativity and provide a unique environment for visitors to engage in immersive, learning opportunities. Likewise, public libraries offer an endless variety of free educational resources.
The Kentucky Library Association and the Kentucky Public Library Association shared a joint statement that said in part, "IMLS provides grant funding for the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives and individual libraries across the commonwealth. The money from these grants expands library services, including providing early childhood education, enrichment and literacy programs for school-age children, and activities and assistance for senior citizens...The impact of a reduction or elimination of this funding would be felt from Paducah to Pikeville."
Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, 1940s. License
In Ohio, a spokesperson for the Cincinnati Museum Center told WKRC News, "It makes up such a small portion of the federal budget, but it makes such a big impact at home, and so, those dollars, that big picture, it hits hard at home. And as a city that has such a tremendous offering from arts and culture, we cannot lose that."
The six other federal agencies affected by this redaction are: the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, aiding in conflict management to prevent labor disputes; the U.S. Agency for Global Media, managing all U.S. non-military, international broadcasting channels; the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in the Smithsonian Institution, a nonpartisan group that conducts research on global affairs; the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, coordinating federal efforts to combat housing disparities; the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, a group that works directly with lower income communities to promote further development; and the Minority Business Development Agency, a technical assistant program for minority-owned businesses.
The official order states that the head of each governmental entity has seven days to submit a report to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget confirming their full compliance.
