Overview
- IMLS, under a settlement signed April 9, can resume grants, research, and programs and will reverse prior grant cancellations and staff cuts.
- The American Library Association and the AFSCME union brought the case after the administration moved in 2025 to shut the federal agency that funds libraries and museums.
- A federal judge’s order in May halted the planned dissolution and mass layoffs, and Artnet reports a court in November ruled the dismantling unlawful.
- The White House’s 2027 budget again seeks to end IMLS funding, so lawmakers will decide whether the agency continues next year.
- Libraries reported cuts to hours, staff, and community programs during the shutdown effort, and the agency awarded $266.7 million in grants in 2024.