Dear friends,
Apologies for writing about the Institute of Museum and Library Studies and its troubled future again, but we have an update and opportunity. This is an important issue, and I urge you to read on.
Update: Two lawsuits were filed in response to President Donald Trump’s administration’s efforts to dismantle the institute.
The first suit, Rhode Island vs. Trump, saw 21 state attorneys general sue the administration. Judge John J. McConnell issued a preliminary injunction in mid-May. This remains in effect while the court considers the merits of the case.
In the second lawsuit, ALA vs. Sonderling, Judge Richard J. Leon denied the plaintiff’s request for a preliminary injunction and essentially reset the case back to square one.
This is both mixed and temporary news. Yes, lawsuits to protect Institute of Museum and Library Studies are underway, but their ultimate success is to be determined and 2025 funding is secure.
The administration has recommended defunding the Institute of Museum and Library Studies of its current budget of $330 million dollars (0.005% of the federal budget) to $6 million within the budget proposal for fiscal year 2026, and those monies would be used to close the Institute of Museum and Library Studies starting in 2026.
For more information, you can view page 1105 of the technical supplement to the 2026 Budget X Appendix Office of Management and Budget on whitehouse.gov.
Opportunity: The 2026 budget proposal is just that, a proposal, it is not set. We can make a difference by calling and writing our congressional representatives and telling them to continue fully funding the Institute of Museum and Library Studies.
Time and again you have risen to the occasion and made your voice heard in support of Skidompha and libraries in general, and we are so proud of the strength and fortitude of our community. Therefore, I am humbly asking again for you to please rally to the cause and make those calls. I’m including a few suggestions below to help with this task:
Find your congressional representatives – this can be done easily on congress.gov/members/find-your-member.
Tell Congress to #FundLibraries by letter, email, and social media.
Call on appropriations committees to fund libraries in fiscal year 2026 — there are suggestions on ala.org/advocacy on how to go about doing this.
The American Library Association’s website has a FAQ page on the executive order targeting Institute of Museum and Library Studies at ala.org/faq-executive-order-targeting-imls to stay informed and get involved
Your voice has power, and we can do this together.
Be well,
Matthew Graff
Executive Director
Skidompha Public Library
(Skidompha Library has been supporting our community since 1885 in downtown Damariscotta. You can find us online and view our full calendar at skidompha.org.)
