We applaud a federal court for stopping — at least for now — the Trump administration’s plan to end federal support to libraries and museums nationwide.
AFSCME President Lee Saunders applauded a federal ruling that temporarily stops the White House from dismantling the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
“We celebrate today's decision as a victory for library and museum workers and the communities who depend on them,” Saunders said. “They do everything from helping workers connect to job opportunities to instilling a love of learning and inspiring creativity in others.”
IMLS is a nonpartisan and independent agency that supports and funds museums and libraries, as well as the community services they provide in every state across the country. IMLS was created and funded by Congress in 1996 and has had bipartisan support throughout its history.
What did the court do?
The temporary restraining order issued by a federal judge in Washington, D.C., means IMLS will continue to operate as required by Congress while the court hears the case.
“This ruling will halt the layoffs of the critical workers who support them,” Saunders said. “We look forward to moving our case forward and reversing this unlawful shutdown.”
The ruling came less than a month after AFSCME and the American Library Association (ALA), with the help of Democracy Forward and Gair Gallo Eberhard LLP, filed a lawsuit opposing the dismantling of IMLS as directed by a Trump executive order.
In March, the entire IMLS staff was placed on administrative leave.
AFSCME represents 45,000 cultural workers nationwide, including more library and museum workers than any other union. Some of the library services AFSCME members provide to their communities are under threat due to the attacks against IMLS.
Library member stories
Yonah Bromberg Gaber, a library associate at the District of Columbia Public Library (DCPL) and president of AFSCME Local 1808 (District Council 20), said DCPL receives more than $1 million in grants each year from IMLS. Shutting down IMLS threatens the jobs for at least four full-time employees at the library, which works with underserved populations, they said.
The same is true for other libraries.
At the University of Minnesota, where Robert Francis works as a library assistant, public services and jobs are on the line.
Francis works at the Minitex Resource Sharing unit, which supports the Health Sciences Library at the University Minnesota-Twin Cities. Minitex relies on IMLS funding and faces a huge shortfall because of the administration’s attempt to shutter the agency, Francis said.
Francis, a member of AFSCME Local 3800 (Council 5), said Minitex “has served Minnesota libraries for over 50 years and ensures that all Minnesotans — regardless of class or geographic location in the state — have access to high-quality library resources.”
Patrick Johnston, a circulation assistant at the Daniel Boone Regional Library in Columbia County, Missouri, said the loss of IMLS funding will force library staff to cut back on special programming.
“Staff will not be able to try new programs to adapt to evolving community needs,” said Johnston, who is also president of AFSCME Local 3311 (Council 61). “These gaps will be keenly felt by our patrons, who look to their library as a lifeline for information, community, betterment, career advancement, and basic modern connectivity.”
Let’s GO
AFSCME is fighting the administration’s cuts through its Get Organized campaign. AFSCME GO is about making sure that everyone understands what’s at stake in this fight. It’s about standing up to the billionaires and anti-union extremists trying to steal our power, and defeating any efforts to gut key programs including Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security.