[Bath, New Hampshire] – [March 21, 2025] – The New England Library Association (NELA) strongly opposes the Trump Administration's March 14th executive order to defund the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Americans rely on public, school, and academic libraries to access knowledge and a wealth of resources. This action threatens essential funding for library programs and staff jobs that provide essential services such as: free access to information, educational opportunities, and digital resources—especially for underserved and rural communities.

Libraries are essential to our communities, offering free and equitable access to information, education, and technology. Defunding IMLS compromises literacy programs, workforce development, and access to technology that countless individuals rely on daily. We urge our members and the public to take action against this short-sighted executive order. Our libraries are an important piece of our American fabric. President John Adams said, "Let us tenderly and kindly cherish therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write."

Additional Attacks by the Current Administration

This is an unfortunate pattern of this administration, which continues to target libraries and essential services. These actions have a profound impact on library services across the country:

• Deletion of public data: Thousands of federal web pages on science, health, and equity were removed, requiring preservation efforts.
• Firing of federal library employees: Budget cuts led to job losses at presidential libraries and the National Archives.
• Book removals from military base libraries: DEI-related books were flagged and pulled, sparking protests.
• Uncertainty over federal grants: A pause on funding has left cultural and educational institutions in limbo.

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