The Trump administration’s efforts to eliminate the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) threaten the heart of our communities.

Since 1996, IMLS has been essential for funding libraries, museums, and archives, ensuring they can serve diverse populations and provide educational, cultural, and historical resources.

Without this agency, libraries—large and small—would lose a critical partner in supporting vital programs like teen mental health resources, cultural education, and historical preservation. IMLS funding enables libraries to serve all generations and backgrounds, empowering communities and providing opportunities for lifelong learning.

Libraries are more than buildings with books—they are vital hubs of opportunity, safety, and growth.

A Live Oak Public Library member says, "There is no way I could replicate the learning experiences offered through the Library. Over the last 12 years, the Library has become so much more than books; it's become a safe place with familiar faces and staff that have become friends."

We must fight to save this safe place. 

Eliminating IMLS would harm millions who rely on these essential services. We demand that the government protect and strengthen IMLS to preserve the future of libraries and the communities they serve.