IMLS staff placed on leave after Trump executive order

On Monday, the White House announced that all staff members of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) would be put on administrative leave. This action follows an Executive Order from Donald Trump dated March 14. The IMLS, a federal agency created in 1996, employs about 70 people and is tasked with distributing grants to museums and libraries across the country. In 2024, it provided $266 million to cultural institutions, while the National Endowment for the Arts is expecting a budget of $210 million for 2025. The Chief Officers of State Library Agencies expressed their worries, stating that dismantling the IMLS would cut off crucial federal funding for libraries, affecting many state budgets. The American Federation of Government Employees also noted that grant processing for 2025 and 2026 has been suspended, which could jeopardize numerous grants.