IMLS reinstates terminated library, museum grants
The Institute of Museum and Library Services said Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025 it is reinstating all grants previously terminated after a Trump executive order, stating the action supersedes earlier termination notices. The move follows a lawsuit by 21 state attorneys general and a November ruling by a Rhode Island federal judge that the administration’s actions were unlawful, unlocking funds that library advocates say are critical for small and rural libraries.
📌 Key Facts
- IMLS posted a statement Dec. 3, 2025 reinstating all previously terminated grants.
- 21 state attorneys general sued over the cuts; a Rhode Island District Court ruled the actions unlawful in November.
- IMLS awarded $266 million to museums and libraries in 2024; ALA’s president called the reinstatement a “massive win.”
📊 Relevant Data
The Trump administration issued an executive order to continue the reduction of the federal bureaucracy by eliminating elements determined to be unnecessary, including the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy — The White House
In 2023, approximately 14 percent of the U.S. population lived in rural counties.
Rural America at a Glance: 2024 Edition — USDA Economic Research Service
Rural America remains predominantly non-Hispanic White with 35 million White residents constituting 76 percent of the rural population according to the 2020 Census, compared to the national average of about 59 percent non-Hispanic White.
Growing Racial Diversity in Rural America: Results from the 2020 Census — Carsey School of Public Policy
In 2023, the poverty rate in rural areas was 13.6 percent, higher than the national poverty rate of 11.1 percent.
The Challenge of Rural Poverty — FREOPP
In 2023, 73 percent of adults living in rural areas had access to home broadband, compared to 77 percent in urban areas and 86 percent in suburban areas.
The Urban–Rural Digital Divide in Internet Access and Online ... — Rural Sociology
Small and rural libraries are most dependent on federal funding and hardest to sustain through local funding alone.
Small and Rural Libraries Feeling the Impact of a Defunded IMLS — Library Journal