Cuts to federal museum and library budget raises concern

By: Evelyn Kowalski

Staff-Writer 

On March 14, President Trump signed an executive order titled “Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy.” It called for the maximum possible elimination or reduction of a variety of government entities, including the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences (IMLS).

This could affect grants and financial assistance used to preserve our history and collective knowledge, and it could also lead to a reduction in research funding and resources available to the public. 

There are many people who work in these fields who are concerned about what the outcome will be.

Some libraries receive funding from private donors, but now that the IMLS will be unable to support them, small libraries and museums could be hit the hardest, forced to find other ways to get funding.. 

“We have yet to see exactly how this is going to play out,” said George Garner, assistant director and curator of the IU South Bend Civil Rights Heritage Center. “But there is a generation of museum practitioners who are deeply nervous right now.” 

Garner said he has no idea what the outcome will be for museums, and this executive order was an unprecedented direct attack on libraries and museums. Garner has more questions than answers about what the future holds and how museums will continue to keep our history safe. 

Sarah Kovac, adult services director at the La Grange Public Library, said in a statement to The Preface that this act could cause libraries to lose access to databases, materials and library loans. 

Kovac said this was a “heartless” move towards libraries that are there to help people, and could limit resources for community members and students from pre-K to college.

Both Kovac and Garner believe that one way to help or show support in this situation is to visit your local library or museums and to spread the word about what is going on.

“Use your library, I encourage you to check it out. Also, speak out in favor of libraries, and be aware of what issues your local library is facing. Write letters of support to your local library board or newspaper,” Kovac said. 

Nobody knows for sure what the future holds for local libraries and museums, but the community can make a difference in whether our access to public knowledge survives. We can still speak out and engage with the services libraries and museums offer, including our own campus institutions.