Take Action to Fund Libraries in 2027: The Latest on the Institute of Museum and Library Services

• Find out what your representatives will be doing at next week’s intradistrict work session. Show up at City Hall and events and ask them to tell you directly where they stand on support for public libraries and museums. Find out how they voted and what they think about IMLS as an institution. The section below contains another set of questions that can be asked directly.

• If your representative is not hosting a public event, please contact your local office or attend in person. Find out what your representatives are doing and once again put your voice on the record.

• Of course, it can be scary to make a phone call or meet someone in person. If you are in a position where you cannot do either, write to your representative. Request a reply to your letter. My representative had the option to check the reply box and he did, in fact, reply to my letter. If your representative does not have this option, please indicate so in your letter.

• Once you’ve done this, do the same for the senators. Since the Senate has not heard this bill yet, this is your chance to include facts and figures about the value of public institutions like IMLS and libraries across the country (of course you could do that to the House members, but since this bill has already passed appropriations, the House members may have already decided). This is a small institution making a big impact on a small budget for libraries across the country. It is important to note that in a time of declining literacy, declining interest in the act of reading, increased misinformation and disinformation, increased need for digital tools and literacy, and economic downturn, public libraries remain the exemplars of access, facts, and expertise that entire communities rely on. IMLS funds are particularly useful for paying for interlibrary loans and databases. Please take a moment to examine what resources were compromised last year when IMLS was dismantled and its budget targeted, and use those as concrete examples of what American taxpayers stand to lose if IMLS is not fully funded. You might also find it worth talking about how $14 million was stolen from IMLS this year, money intended to be used to improve America’s libraries and museums, and funneled directly into the pockets of the right-wing PragerU and their “Freedom Track” project, which tells a propaganda-laden, AI-generated narrative of America’s 250-year history.
  • Need more ideas? Here are some quotes that have helped me advocate for IMLS over the last year.
    • Demonstrate the need to fully fund IMLS, the only institution dedicated to public libraries and museums nationwide. Full funding for government agencies represents 0.005% of the federal budget for the past year, but note that the return on investment for public libraries is unparalleled, as demonstrated in study after study. Every $1 invested in public libraries generates at least $4.50 in return.
    • The passage of last year’s highly unpopular and harmful budget and tax bills, which already had the immediate effect of raising health insurance costs for Americans, emphasizes that libraries will become even more important in helping people find new jobs, access medical and food information, connect to technology they may no longer be able to afford, and find verifiable facts through trusted tools and experts. These tools and services are exactly what the IMLS grant addresses. Use the information and links in this article on EveryLibrary to support your claims.

• The next step in advocacy is to tell everyone who knows what’s going on. Give them the same tools and resources that you have been using so they, too, can reach out to their Representatives and Senators and demand full funding for IMLS. It may not seem like much of a difference, but posting about your political advocacy efforts like this will encourage others to take action as well. If people don’t know what’s going on, they can’t take action. The truth is, most people don’t realize how bad and dire things are for libraries at the local and federal level. Be that advocate and if you can, help a friend, family member, or colleague make a call or write a letter.
• Next, send a short letter to your local newspaper about the value of public libraries. Please use the links and information above to back up your statements with examples from your own libraries. Please state that IMLS cuts will have a significant local impact. Here is a good example of a letter. Also, here are some great examples of library advocacy in local newspapers.
• Write a letter to your public library board about how much you support their work. Give specific examples, such as your library’s summer book club and how it encouraged you and your family to explore the library’s contents. these positive The message delivered to the library’s governing/management body is critical. Most people reach out just to complain. While this won’t make a huge difference in IMLS funding, it will make a big difference in protecting and supporting local libraries.
• Reach out to your state-level legislators and let them know how important it is to support, advocate, and fund libraries. We have seen state-level funding exist or be increased even as IMLS funding is lost. State-level support alone will not be enough to avoid the realities of IMLS closureespecially in smaller rural libraries, but telling your representatives “they’re doing a good job” when you see this can help encourage them to do better work.

Further actions centered on libraries that should be taken now

After calling for funding for IMLS, there are several actions you can take now to support libraries across the country. Last month, the House passed House Resolution 2616, a nationwide “Don’t Say Trans” bill that would censor the types of educational materials available in public schools. This bill has been introduced in the Senate. That means lobbying the two senators who oppose the bill. HR 2616 has not yet been placed on the Senate calendar.

Another concerning bill is House Resolution 7661, a national book ban bill. HR 7661 has passed a House subcommittee but has not yet reached the full floor of the House. This is your opportunity to contact your Congressman and let them know you oppose this bill. Members of Congress will be active in their local constituencies from June 12th to June 22nd. This is your chance to find out if they’re hosting a rally, town hall, or listening session in your area, and then go in person and ask tough questions about this bill (and HR 2616, why didn’t they fight harder to stop it, and why do they believe legislating hate is a good idea?).

Advocates are also calling attention to House Resolution 8705, also known as “Charlie’s Law.” The bill, introduced and quickly passed by the House Education and Labor Committee, would withhold federal funding from public schools that teach diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) or “gender ideology.” This is yet another attempt to impose an imaginary vision of America and American history on young people in public schools, and will further marginalize a group that already faces discrimination. This would naturally lead not only to the whitewashing of education, but also to large-scale censorship nationwide. The bill is still in the House of Commons, so encourage your congressman to oppose this bill named after beloved far-right Charlie Kirk.

We successfully discovered IMLS in 2026. Just as a lawsuit filed against the government’s dismantling of IMLS in early 2026 served to reaffirm that need. This is a battle that will continue. The more we practice our advocacy skills and flex our muscles now, the easier and faster it will become.

As has been the case since March 2026, you can keep up with the status of IMLS in this extensive and regularly updated document, including the latest information on funding and news about IMLS’s commitment to libraries across the country.