On March 14, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order disbanding the Institute of Museum and Library Services. While at first glance this order doesn’t seem too bad compared to others that have been signed, its disregard towards public libraries is frustrating when you consider the major influence libraries have in communities across the U.S.
For starters, this order comes at a time when the number of banned books in the United States is skyrocketing and access to challenging and diverse media is waning, especially in southern states. Public libraries are generally based around fostering an environment where anyone can access information easily. Censorship is undoubtedly on the rise, and it seems like it’s going to continue to get harder for libraries to follow through on that goal.
Censorship isn’t the only issue though – libraries are so much more than just a house for books. Most libraries:
- Run programs that focus on developing literacy in young children
- Provide access to databases and other research resources
- Provide help and resources dedicated to employment and thriving in the workforce
- Provide internet access (which is especially important in more rural areas where that access isn’t widespread!)
These (and more, depending on how well-funded your local library is) are typically available for free! Reducing funding for libraries means that these programs will likely see cutbacks that limit community outreach and negatively affect many individuals who don’t have easy access to the internet or can’t afford to spend extra money on buying books and other resources at a bookstore or online.
Libraries also have an important function as one of the last prevalent third spaces. Third spaces are places other than home or school/work where people can socialize and relax in a more casual setting. The U.S. has been losing them in droves over the past decade as costs of living continue to rise and commercial in-person environments struggle to compete with the ease of the digital world. Libraries (and third spaces in general) are important because they encourage neighbors to have positive interactions in low-stakes environments and foster a sense of unity, especially within groups of people who identify differently. Libraries being nonjudgmentally open to everyone regardless of what they’re currently experiencing allows for the power of human connection to sing through the complicated mess of dynamic and power imbalances that seep into every corner of standard American social structures.
In a time where everything seems to be getting more expensive and commercialized at a ridiculously rapid pace, the free access libraries offer is, to me, a refreshing break. Supporting local libraries now is more important than ever: write to your representatives, get a library card, and keep it active. The good that libraries do is too precious to lose.
You can read the American Library Association’s statement on the order here.