Trump Once Again Zeroes Out IMLS Budget for 2027. It’s Time to Take Action.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) took time from April 2025 to January 2026 to prepare the budget for fiscal year 2026. Those 10 months of fighting for the IMLS budget came after Trump proposed sunsetting the only federal agency dedicated to libraries and museums in his budget for the year.
Start rolling up your sleeves and set calendar reminders: The fight to save IMLS from closure for fiscal year 2027 is on again. Trump’s latest budget proposal once again IMLS budget has been reduced to zero. This is the sixth time that the administration has targeted the small agency.
The budget once again reflects the administration’s priorities: destroying access to facts and information. It perhaps also reflects the governance’s ineptitude when it comes to turning IMLS into a propaganda machine. while certainly Over $14,000,000 stolen from American taxpayers Used to develop the “Freedom Truck” Demonstration of an imaginary American history Across the country it demonstrates where and how the administration has viewed IMLS as a tool to further white supremacy, and that the administration has failed to do much more. Social media campaigns to portray IMLS in its image have faced significant backlash, and the agency saw most of the grants it had withheld reinstated during the year. These include grants for programs that prioritize the interests of Americans, including diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
The Trump-Vance regime was gave a blow In State of Rhode Island v. Trump, One of two lawsuits filed against him in federal court over his efforts to dismantle the agency in March 2025. The judge ordered that no further action could be taken to harm the department, which lost more than half its employees in the March takeover. While the administration has filed an appeal in that decisionNo further court action took place. A second federal lawsuit is also still active, American Library Association v. Sonderling.
The administration was also unable to foresee the agency’s collapse last year, as taxpayers worked tirelessly to restore the IMLS budget.
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Sam Helmick, President of the American Library Association, said, “The President’s continued attack on IMLS in today’s budget and last year’s executive order closing IMLS reveals the extent to which the Administration is indifferent to the needs of millions of Americans who rely on libraries every day: older adults and veterans who use library telehealth locations; unemployed people who use library resources to find new jobs or learn new skills; families who rely on storytime; and students and Faculty who conduct research in school and academic libraries.” “The President has repeatedly underestimated the extent to which Congress supports support for libraries and advocates to protect library services.”
In addition to eliminating IMLS, the 2027 budget proposal reduces funding for other arts and cultural programs. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) will both suffer significant losses, with their budgets reduced from 2026 to 2026 as follows: from $208 million to $28 million for the NEA and from $192 million to $39 million for the NEH.
Congress is currently on leave till April 14. This is the time period when your federal House and Senate representatives must serve in their home district, which means there may be town halls or other events scheduled nearby where you can hear directly from your representatives. Check their calendars and see if you can come in person. If so, ask them what they think about the latest budget proposal and where and how they plan to speak on behalf of IMLS when they return to the Hill.
Whether or not you are able to speak to your representatives in person, there is time Start reaching out to their offices and demand full restoration of the IMLS budget for FY 2027. You can recycle and update proposed talking points Here And HereHowever, at this time you do not need to do that much work. A direct phone call and/or email stating that you would like your tax money to be used to support IMLS would do wonders at this point.
The American Library Association is also asking that supporters ask their senators to sign “Dear Appropriators” letters by April 17. You can learn more about this and do so here. American Library Association Show for our libraries website Also worth reading and bookmarking for further action.
While you are already advocating on behalf of IMLS, also take time to remind your delegates that they need to be aware of House Resolution 7661, National Book Ban Bill. It is likely to come up on the floor of the House some time after the recess of Congress, and the sooner you can get your opposition on record to the cruel and unnecessary bill, the better. you can Find talking points about HR 7661 here. Also note that there are two anti-book ban measures floating around in Congress, where you can register your support.
“Discrediting IMLS and threatening the independence of the Library of Congress and the National Archives signals a broader shift in how knowledge institutions are valued in federal policy.” Avery Library explains in its article about the FY 2027 budget. “These actions threaten the systems that preserve public records, ensure access to information, and support the free exchange of ideas. Reducing funding for these institutions has a significant impact on intellectual freedom and library workers.”
The wants and needs of the American people do not matter to this administration. This nullification is once again about prioritizing lies and half-truths as well as furthering authoritarianism. The fight ahead will be long and exhausting, but as we have seen across the country, lawyers are doing just that, and brutal attacks on libraries, education, and the freedom to learn and read are being defeated. IMLS won back its funding after a tough 10-month battle, and while we need to prepare for another long battle, we have done this before and come out the other side a winner.
You can learn more about Present status of Museum and Library Services Institute hereas well as access Here’s a full timeline of the administration’s attacks on IMLS. The timeline keeps updating.