Institute of Museum and Library Services Saved from Defunding After Legal Challenge
ARTnews reported that the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) will continue operating after the American Library Association (ALA) and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) reached a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, announced in an ALA press release dated 9 April. The agreement requires reinstatement of previously terminated grants, reversal of staff reductions, and commits the administration to refrain from further action against IMLS, which was established in 1996 and is the only federal agency providing resources to museums and libraries across all 50 states and U.S. territories. The dispute followed efforts by the Trump administration to dismantle the agency, including a proposed 2026 budget that would have cut IMLS funding to $6 million from $313 million, effectively sunsetting it. ALA president Sam Helmick and AFSCME president Lee Saunders said the settlement protects library and museum services nationwide after cuts and disruptions triggered by the attempted shutdown.
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This story was covered in Museum Power Shifts and Art Crime Crackdowns