Tag Archives: Roundup of Statements in Response to Executive Order Impacting the Institute of Museum and Library Services

Take Action: Help Protect Institute of Museum and Library Services Funding

Vermonters through their local libraries directly benefit from Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) funding. About one-third of the Vermont Department of Libraries budget, some $1.2 million in 2024, comes from IMLS grants. The department strategically distributes these funds to support youth and early literacy programming, supply digital resources like eBooks, eAudiobooks, and databases, and provide the statewide interlibrary loan system, among other services. IMLS was shut down and all grant funding halted following a March 14, 2025, Executive Order.

On May 1, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia granted a temporary restraining order to block the Trump administration’s dismantling of IMLS. The decision was issued in response to a lawsuit filed by the American Library Association and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the largest union representing library workers.

Parallel to its efforts to preserve IMLS through litigation, ALA has mounted a campaign to secure funding for the agency in fiscal year 2026. ALA is asking advocates to request their members of Congress demonstrate their commitment to library funding by signing congressional “Dear Appropriator” letters in support of IMLS funding for FY2026. You can make this request using these online forms. Fill in the top portion with your name and contact information, and the form automatically adds your Senators and Representative. Deadline for this form is mid-May 2025:

Tell Your Senators: Sign the Dear Appropriator Letters

Tell Your Representatives: Sign the Dear Appropriator Letters

After mid-May 2025, you can write or call Vermont’s Congressional delegation and Governor Phil Scott directly, urging them to continue working for the restoration of IMLS.

Senator Bernie Sanders
332 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
info@berniesanders.com
202-224-5141
Fax: 202-228-0776.

Senator Peter Welch
124 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-4242
Fax: 802-651-1674

Representative Becca Balint
1510 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-4115
Fax: 771-200-5791

Governor Phil Scott
Pavilion Building
109 State Street
Montpelier, VT 05609
802-828-3333
TTY: 800-649-6825
Fax: 802-828-3339

If you call you’ll likely reach voicemail, which is perfectly fine — leave a message! Here’s a sample script:

“Hi, my name is [Your Name], and I’m a resident of [Your Town]. I’m calling to urge [Senator/Representative/Governor] to oppose all efforts by the Trump administration to defund and abolish IMLS. IMLS is essential to Vermont libraries. It provides funding we rely on to support [briefly mention a local program or service]. This funding is critical to meeting the educational, economic, and community needs of Vermonters.”

Here are other ways to help bring attention to President Trump’s Executive Order that includes defunding the Institute of Museum and Library Services:

1 – Understand the Executive Order

Read the Executive Order (EO) itself so you’re informed about its content and implications: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/continuing-the-reduction-of-the-federal-bureaucracy/

The American Library Association has a great FAQ page to help understand the implications of the EO:
https://www.ala.org/faq-executive-order-targeting-imls

This American Libraries Magazine article gives a breakdown on the EO:
https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/blogs/the-scoop/white-house-attacks-libraries/

2 – Read the Vermont Library Association’s (VLA) Statement in Response

VLA has issued a response outlining how this order would impact the Vermont Department of Libraries, the services they provide, and ultimately everyone in our communities. Read it and share it:
https://vermontlibraries.org/vermont-library-association-statement-of-support-of-the-institute-of-museum-and-library-services

3 – Explore Action Items from EveryLibrary and ALA

Both EveryLibrary and the American Library Association (ALA) have created action platforms in response to this threat:

Note: These platforms send auto-generated emails to elected officials, but you can make an even stronger impact by calling directly.

4 – Create a bookmark to put into all books that you lend through ILL that includes the following:

InterLibrary Loan is a service funded through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Please call Senator Welch (202-224-4242), Senator Sanders (202-224-5141), and Representative Balint (202-225-4115) and urge them to protect IMLS from President Trump’s cuts.

Thanks to New Hampshire librarians for this idea!  If anyone creates one they can share, please do! Here are some sample bookmarks.

5 – Read Library Journal’s Roundup of Statements in Response to Executive Order Impacting the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS):
https://www.infodocket.com/2025/03/17/roundup-statements-in-response-to-executive-order-impacting-the-institute-of-museum-and-library-services-imls/

6 – Share this information with family, friends, and library patrons, and ask them to contact their Congressional representatives in support of IMLS.

This page was updated on May 3, 2025. (sl)