Why We Need to Save IMLS

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) does a lot to help libraries and museums, but it has recently come under attack. While IMLS has faced the threat of funding cuts before, the department is now being gutted, its future uncertain. Many people probably have never heard of IMLS, but it is actually a vital lifeline for libraries and museums across the United States.

What Is IMLS?

IMLS is an independent government agency founded by Congress in 1996. It is the only federal agency for libraries in the United States, making it their main source of federal funding. IMLS’s mission is “to advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development.”

Libraries depend on multiple sources of funding to pay for the services they offer. While federal funding is only a small portion of what they receive, the grants given by IMLS are still a necessary component of library budgets, helping to fund much-needed maintenance, materials, and programs.

In 2024, IMLS awarded over $266 million in grants and research funding to various cultural institutions. Despite how large that amount might sound, IMLS’s operating costs make up only 0.0046% of the overall federal budget. Libraries and museums are able to do a lot with that small percentage, helping to fund services at 125,000 public, school, academic, and special libraries with more than 1.2 billion in-person patron visits every year.

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How Does IMLS Funding Help Libraries and Their Communities?

IMLS has a dashboard where you can see who receives the grants and what initiatives the funds are used for. For instance, they funded workplace training programs and internships at the Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Also, the State Library of Iowa was able to use IMLS funding to create a mental health first aid training program to assist patrons and staff.

IMLS also funds important research on literacy that gives parents, librarians, and educators insight into how to help children develop strong reading skills. The organization even works in coordination with the National Park Service to preserve historically significant sites and artifacts.

IMLS funding is especially important for Native American, Native Alaskan, and Native Hawaiian libraries and cultural organizations. In 2024, IMLS awarded grants totaling $5,908,056 to these communities, helping them afford materials and services for libraries, create new programs, and conserve important historical documents and cultural knowledge.

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How Does IMLS Help Native American Communities?

One of three major grant programs that help Native Americans is the Native American Library Services Basic Grants. These grants are designed to help Native American Tribes establish, maintain, and improve library services for their communities. This money can be used for many important things, including purchasing library materials and furnishings, funding staff salaries and professional development, and creating language and cultural activities.

The Makah Cultural and Research Center’s Archives/Library Departments are using this grant to collaborate with other Makah organizations on the “Empowering Journey Project,” which supports the cataloging and transcription of newspaper collections, as well as the development and implementation of Makah language materials and workshops. The project’s goal is to help Makah community members gain a deeper understanding of their cultural roots and identity.

The Native American Library Services Enhancement Grants program is another initiative designed to improve core library services for Native American communities. These grants can be used for educational programming, oral history collection and documentation, research and development of language and cultural material, and much more.

The Waagax Hakiruxara Hosto Library of the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin received one of these grants. They plan to build a body of library materials that will advance shared knowledge and learning opportunities for all. Their library will protect Native voices and promote Native nation identity through book clubs, book events, artistic activities, and the restoration of community unification.

The third major grant program is the Native Hawaiian Library Services Grants. This program makes grants available to nonprofit organizations that serve and represent Native Hawaiians to improve core library services for their communities. These grants can be used to fund library materials and services, as well as cultural preservation projects.

The Kohe Mālamalama O Kanaloa  –  Protect Kahoʻolawe Fund is a recipient of this last grant. This project plans to preserve and digitize documents and manuscripts of the late Noa Emmett Aluli, MD, a highly respected physician, as well as one of the founders of the Protect Kahoʻolawe ʻOhana and the Aloha ʻĀina movement.

The examples above are just some of the many things funded by IMLS that will help Native communities build local libraries and archival collections to preserve invaluable cultural and linguistic information. Without IMLS, these communities would not be able to afford these projects.

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How Can IMLS Be Saved?

Any cuts to IMLS would be devastating for libraries, museums, and their communities. Even though IMLS has long held bipartisan support and its funding is mandated by Congress, President Trump has ordered that the department be reduced to its “statutory functions”. In the meantime, most of IMLS’s staff have been put on administrative leave.

Trump also appointed Keith E. Sonderling as acting director, a move that raises concerns among library advocacy groups. They fear the president intends to politicize an organization that has always remained nonpartisan and nonpolitical.

In response to these actions, the American Library Association and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees are suing the Trump administration. The American Alliance of Museums has also spoken up, encouraging people to show their support for IMLS and giving examples of how people can help.

EveryLibrary has started the SaveIMLS.org campaign to protect libraries from these drastic and draconian funding cuts. You can sign a petition, send an email to your representatives, call your representatives, or write letters to the editor of your local newspaper to show your support for IMLS.

Contact your representatives today. Please show your support for IMLS and the critical work that it does for libraries and museums across the country. If we work together, we can protect this important resource for our nation’s libraries.