Last week it was announced that the Institute for Museum and Library Services was targeted to shut down as part of the larger reduction in the Federal Government. Closing IMLS would remove the only Federal agency that provides funding and support to libraries and museums across the United States.

Library supporters across the Country are rallying to save IMLS from the chopping block. To better understand how the Institute supports libraries, the advocacy organization called EveryLibrary has created a resource on the EveryLibrary Institute website that details the gravity of the situation.

The Trump Administration has issued an executive order directing several small federal agencies, including the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), to review their operations and obligations under law with the intent to cut budgets and staffing.

The Executive Order dated March 14, 2025, directs agency heads to reduce “elements of the Federal bureaucracy that the President has determined are unnecessary … This includes the non-statutory components and functions of the following governmental entities shall be eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law, and such entities shall reduce the performance of their statutory functions and associated personnel to the minimum presence and function required by law.

The page details the items that IMLS is required to do by law versus those that are optional. For libraires, IMLS oversees many library grants, including the Library Services and Technology Act.

The American Library Association also released a statement opposing the elimination of IMLS.

If you want to voice your support for IMLS, EveryLibrary has a list of resources and actions that can be done, including reaching out to your local member of Congress or U.S. Senator. Working together, IMLS can be saved.