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On April 3, four major publishing companies—Hachette Book Group, Macmillan Publishers, Penguin Random House, and Simon & Schuster—joined Sourcebooks in addressing Congress with a letter expressing significant concerns regarding the state of the nation’s libraries. This communication followed a turbulent week for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the federal entity tasked with allocating funding to libraries.
The timing of the letter coincides with the lead-up to the American Library Association’s National Library Week. The publishers urged Congress to oppose the executive order signed by former President Donald Trump on March 14, which called for the dissolution of the IMLS to the fullest extent permitted by law. Following this executive order, the Trump administration appointed Keith Sonderling, deputy secretary of labor, as the acting director of the IMLS. This decision has led to the entire staff of the IMLS being placed on administrative leave, a move that disregards the wishes of the agency’s advisory board.
On the same day, EveryLibrary, a nonprofit advocating for library support, released a statement revealing that libraries nationwide were receiving notices of grant terminations from Sonderling, effective April 1. This funding comes from a Congressional appropriation of $294.8 million, which has raised concerns among a bipartisan group of senators who, in a memo dated March 26, reminded the administration of its legal obligations to execute the law faithfully—an obligation which they contend is currently being overlooked.
“The termination of these grants seems to surpass the explicit terms of the executive order; all grants involved are statutory obligations of the agency,” stated EveryLibrary. They highlighted that the particular program, Grants to States, represents the largest source of federal funding for libraries, disbursing over $180 million annually to libraries across all states and territories. The organization emphasized that rescinding these agreements contravenes federal legal mandates and will lead to significant financial shortfalls for libraries in numerous states.
In their communication to Congress, the publishers argued that “defunding libraries could lead to widespread closures and the dismantling of a system that currently serves millions of Americans,” despite IMLS funding comprising merely “0.003% of the federal budget.” They pressed Congress not only to reject the executive order aimed at closing the IMLS but also to reinstate its funding.
“Allowing the IMLS to be defunded and vanish would deprive countless Americans of access to the resources, including books and tools, necessary for engagement in today’s society,” the letter added. “Closing the IMLS would represent a severe neglect of duty, undermining the fundamental principles on which this nation is built. It would hinder the democratic rights of citizens to read, think, and learn freely.”
In a notable development, the official IMLS Instagram account shared a post that afternoon featuring images depicting what seemed to be line items from their budget, allocating funds for various initiatives, such as “$6,700,000 to enhance equitable library programs” and “$1,500,000 for social justice programs.” The accompanying caption asserted that “the era of using your taxpayer dollars to fund DEI grants is OVER.”
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