Trump Seeks to Eliminate Institute of Museum and Library Services

# The Impact of Trump’s Executive Order on the IMLS and Cultural Institutions

In a dramatic move that has sent shockwaves through the arts and cultural community, **President Donald Trump issued an executive order on March 14, 2025, titled “Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy.”** This order effectively **dismantled the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)** and other federal agencies, prompting widespread concern about the future of cultural funding in the United States.

## **What is the IMLS and Why is It Important?**

The **Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)** is a federal agency that provides grants and financial support to museums, libraries, and cultural institutions across the United States. In **Fiscal Year 2024**, the agency administered **$266.7 million in grants**, supporting educational initiatives, historical preservation, and literacy programs.

The elimination of IMLS is particularly alarming because of its role in:

– **Funding public libraries and museums** to ensure access to education and information.
– **Supporting underserved communities**, including Indigenous tribal libraries and archives.
– **Backing art exhibitions, cultural programs, and historical preservation efforts**, ensuring that diverse voices and histories are included in the national narrative.

## **Trump’s Executive Order: What It Means for Museums and Libraries**

The order requires federal agencies like IMLS to **eliminate non-statutory functions** and **drastically downsize statutory programs.** This means that grants for museums, libraries, and cultural institutions will be **dramatically reduced or eliminated altogether.**

Additionally, the executive order demands that affected agencies submit compliance reports to the **Office of Management and Budget (OMB)**, led by **Russell Vought**, an architect of Trump’s **Project 2025 agenda.** This indicates a broader effort to curb federal spending on programs deemed “non-essential” by the administration.

## **Who Will Be Affected?**
The IMLS’s **2024 budget of $294.8 million** was already a small fraction of the federal budget (**0.0043%**), but it supported **hundreds of institutions nationwide**. The cuts will hit:

– **Museums like the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Museum of the City of New York, and the Museum of Glass in Tacoma**, which received IMLS funding in previous years.
– **Local institutions**, such as the Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust and the Heckscher Museum of Art, which received grants for exhibitions promoting diversity and inclusion.
– **Public and school libraries**, which received funding for essential literacy and education programs.

## **Broader Impacts on Cultural Policy**

This executive order is part of Trump’s **ongoing attack on arts and cultural funding.** In recent weeks, he has:

✔ **Disbanded the President’s Committee on Arts and Humanities**
✔ **Dissolved the fine arts and preservation divisions of the General Services Administration**
✔ **Forced Shelly C. Lowe (Diné), the first Native American Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Humanities, to step down**
✔ **Rolled back funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs** across federal agencies

The simultaneous repeal of a **Biden-era policy protecting federal funding for Native American tribes** further suggests a **larger rollback of cultural funding** that disproportionately impacts marginalized communities.

## **Public Outcry and Congressional Response**

Several cultural and educational organizations have spoken out against the cuts:

– The **American Library Association (ALA)** called the move a “**White House assault**” on museum and library funding.
– The **American Alliance of Museums (AAM)** urged Congress to restore IMLS funding and encouraged public support.
– AAM also launched a **campaign providing email templates and phone scripts** to help citizens advocate for cultural funding.

## **What Can You Do?**

If you’re concerned about the future of cultural institutions, you can:

🟢 **Contact your representatives** and urge them to restore IMLS funding.
🟢 **Share your story** about how museums and libraries have impacted your life.
🟢 **Support cultural institutions** through donations and advocacy efforts.
🟢 **Join organizations like ALA and AAM** that are fighting for arts funding.

## **Conclusion: A Turning Point for Arts and Culture**

The **dismantling of the IMLS and cuts to cultural funding** signal a shift in federal policy that could have lasting consequences for museums, libraries, and cultural institutions in America. As Trump continues to slash funding for the arts, advocates and citizens will play a crucial role in **defending and preserving access to cultural and educational resources** for future generations.

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For more updates on the state of arts and cultural funding in the U.S.,