ALA welcomes IMLS staff return and select grant reinstatements, cautiously optimistic about national case

Washington – ALA welcomed the return of Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) staff to work and the reinstatement of some IMLS grants, which had been terminated following President Trump’s March 14 Executive Order 14238.

The Attorneys General of 21 states filed a federal lawsuit, Rhode Island v. Trump, to halt the administration’s dismantling of IMLS. In response, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction ordering the Administration to restore terminated IMLS staff and grants to recipients in the 21 plaintiff states. On May 20, the Administration filed a status report describing its compliance with that order.

ALA President Cindy Hohl said, “ALA is pleased that, according to the status report, IMLS staff are returning to work. ALA has advocated for IMLS for decades because the American public depends on libraries for services vital to their daily lives, and libraries depend on IMLS funding and expertise to fulfill their communities' needs.

“We are encouraged that the courts acknowledge the irreparable harm that shuttering IMLS would do to libraries. The injunction in Rhode Island v. Trump will allow grants for library services to resume for ALA and for libraries in many communities across the nation. This is particularly urgent in small, rural and Tribal communities, where federal funding is crucial to their survival.

“These developments are critical first steps in our shared goal to renew and amplify the need for IMLS after the administration’s abrupt and illegal actions eliminate it. Even as we celebrate this progress, we must remember that these wins are temporary and only as good as the extent to which they are upheld throughout the appeals process until the judge issues a ruling on the case based on its merits. We are cautiously optimistic, but library advocates will not rest until libraries in every state receive the funding promised and IMLS is back in full force to meet the information needs of all Americans."

While the May 20 status report describes the Administration’s compliance with the preliminary injunction, the Administration also has filed an appeal of that order and requested a stay of the order pending appeal.

ALA has filed its own challenge of the Administration’s actions to eliminate IMLS, ALA v. Sonderling. The judge in that case issued a temporary restraining order on May 1 to halt further actions to dismantle the agency. A ruling on ALA’s request for a preliminary injunction in that case is expected by May 29.

President Hohl said, “IMLS staff have proven themselves to be efficient and effective public servants in fulfilling the agency's mission, even with modest resources. ALA appreciates the dedication of IMLS staff and welcomes them back to their work!”

As questions surface related to the reinstatement of grants, ALA urges individual grantees to consult with their legal counsel.

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