The Institute of Museum and Library Services is reinstating all grants that were terminated earlier this year after an executive order from President Trump. 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 agency that awards federal grants to libraries and museums, had its previously awarded grants ended following the executive order. Library leaders said the cuts especially harmed small and rural libraries that have limited alternative funding.
Attorneys general from 21 states sued over the administration’s action, and a Rhode Island federal judge ruled in November that the terminations were unlawful. With the reinstatement, libraries and museums can now access funds that had been in limbo for months.
American Library Association President Sam Helmick called the reinstatement a “massive win” for libraries nationwide, while cautioning that the fight isn’t over — the administration could appeal and Congress could choose not to fund IMLS in future years. The ALA urged supporters to contact elected officials to advocate for continued library funding.
NPR has reached out to IMLS for comment. Federal money typically makes up a small portion of public library budgets but supports workforce training, pilot projects and internet access in rural libraries. IMLS awarded $266 million in grants to museums and libraries in 2024.