On Monday, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) was effectively shut down. Staff was placed on administrative leave and are no longer allowed to enter the premises. All IMLS work was stopped. 

The moves have left the status of current and future grants—including the Laura Bush Foundation 21st Century Librarian program administered by IMLS—in doubt, according to EveryLibrary. (SLJ has reached out to the Laura Bush Foundation for America's Libraries multiple times for comment on the status and future of its grants but has received no response.)

"Libraries and museums will no longer be able to contact IMLS for updates about the funding they rely on," EveryLibrary said in a statement. "Work on processing 2025 grants and 2026 applications has ceased entirely, and the status of previously awarded grants is now unclear.

"Without staff to administer these programs, it is likely that most grants will be terminated."

ALA President Cindy Hohl noted the debilitating impact in a statement of her own.

“Within months, if not weeks, local libraries will experience the impact of IMLS grant cancellations," Hohl said in a statement. "Even now, state libraries are making hard choices about what their communities may have to do without: library loans that give rural residents more choices, or talking books for people with print disabilities, including many seniors? Or do they cut summer reading programs for kids? Discontinue programs for veterans or end services to small businesses?

“Whether on a campus, in the neighborhood, on a military base or elsewhere, libraries mean opportunity for everyone in our communities. By cutting off federal support from libraries, the Trump administration is cutting off opportunity for the American people—economically, culturally, professionally and socially."

SLJ wants to share the specific impact of these actions on school and public libraries and their communities. We ask you to take a few minutes to respond to our Google form and let us tell your story.