IMLS employees have arranged for administrative leave: NPR

The IMLS is the main source of federal financing for libraries.

Shannon Finney/Institute for Museum and Library Services

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Shannon Finney/Institute for Museum and Library Services

The Institute for Museum and Library Services has transferred all of its employees to administrative leave.

The IMLS is a relatively small federal authority with around 70 employees who finance museums and libraries across the country.

At the beginning of this month, President Trump Keith E. Sonderling – Deputy Labor Secretary – appointed the new incumbent director of IMLS. This was followed by Trump’s former executive order and shrank seven federal authorities, including the Institute for Museum and Library Services.

According to a statement by AFGE Local 3403, which AMLS representatives represent, the agency employees were notified by e -mail about the administrative vacation on “Short review between Doge -Mitar employee and IMLS leadership”. The employees had to enter state property, and e -mail accounts were deactivated.

What is the IMLS?

The IMLS is an independent federal authority that grants libraries and museums across the country. According to the American Library Association, the IMLS is “a majority of the federal library”. The IMLS added 266 million US dollars to scholarships and research at cultural institutions last year. This money helps the staff, maintenance and the creation of new programs.

In 2023, for example, the IMLS financed projects such as a Workforce training program in the Museum of Discovery and Science in Orlando, a pilot program in Iowa, which helps to answer the psychological needs of customers and basic library functions (books, computers, Internet) for various indigenous people. You can find programs that the IMLS financed through their dashboard for libraries and museums in their state.

According to the Advocacy Group Everyylibrary, public libraries are mainly financed by taxes from the city and the district. And federal funds make up a much smaller part of the budget of a library. However, the group submitted an explanation according to President Trump’s executive order and said that “we risk critical programs and services in every state without this nuclear financing for state libraries, museums and archives”.

According to AFGE Local 3403, the status of the grants previously granted is unclear. And in the Union Declaration it says that most grants are likely to be ended without employees to manage the programs.

Steve Potash is the CEO of Overdrive, which distributes digital products such as audio books, eBooks and films on libraries. In an interview, he said that small and rural libraries will be most affected by reducing federal financing.

“If a public library that has a growing demand for its online and digital materials has all kinds of budget cuts, hard decisions have to be made,” said Kali.