The Institute of Museum and Library Services is reinstating all grants that had been terminated under the Trump administration. A brief statement on the agency’s website says the action “supersedes any prior notices which may have been received related to grant termination.”
IMLS, the independent federal agency that awards grants to libraries and museums, was targeted earlier this year by a presidential executive order that led to the cancellation of previously awarded grants. Library leaders said the cuts especially harmed small and rural libraries with limited alternative funding.
In response to the executive order, attorneys general from 21 states sued the administration. In November, a Rhode Island district court judge ruled the Trump administration’s actions unlawful. With the reinstatement, libraries and museums nationwide regain access to funds that had been held in limbo.
American Library Association President Sam Helmick called the reinstatement a “massive win” for libraries. Helmick’s statement added, “We are breathing a sigh of relief, but the fight is not finished,” noting the administration could appeal and Congress could choose not to fund IMLS in future years. The ALA urged supporters to remind elected officials why libraries need more—not fewer—resources.
NPR has contacted IMLS for comment.
Federal funding typically represents a small portion of public libraries’ budgets but supports workforce training, pilot programs and core services such as internet access in rural communities. The IMLS awarded $266 million in grants to museums and libraries in 2024.
