After the threats to federal library funding in the past year, the fiscal year (FY) 2026 appropriations bills signed by President Trump on February 3 included an increase in federal funding for libraries.
Less than a year ago, an executive order threatened to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the only source of federal funding dedicated to libraries. Then, the White House proposed just enough funding in FY2026 to shut down the agency for good.
Thanks to advocates, IMLS still exists today. Library grants are intact. And, rejecting the administration’s call to eliminate IMLS, Congress just passed a $1.4 million increase for library programs run by IMLS through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), bringing LSTA funding to $212.5 million for FY2026. Congress also provided level funding of $30 million for the school library–focused Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL) program.
These library wins are not the result of good luck. In the worst climate in recent memory, libraries succeeded because advocates showed up. In response to ALA’s calls to action, advocates sent emails, made phone calls, and invited elected officials to visit their libraries. And that advocacy produced results that are more than line items on a spreadsheet: They include young people learning to read, research, and write; job seekers finding work; workers filing taxes online; veterans accessing benefits; seniors attending telehealth appointments; and communities thriving.
The final FY2026 budget is not perfect for libraries. For the IAL program, day-to-day operations will move from the Department of Education to the Department of Labor, a development that worries ALA and our partners in education. And while LSTA funding increased, IMLS overall saw a slight decrease, largely reflecting the reduction in staffing at the agency (a smaller IMLS staff will administer the increased grant funding).
Still, Congress has signaled that library funding is a national priority. We need to celebrate this win—and keep that signal strong.
The next advocacy cycle
The FY2027 federal budget cycle begins when the White House releases a budget proposal sometime after the February 24 State of the Union address. As Congress then begins work on appropriations, ALA will launch the FY2027 Fund Libraries campaign, continuing its tradition of issuing the first and most influential nationwide library advocacy action on the federal budget of the year.
We expect the administration to propose deep cuts to library funding next year. Library supporters must double down on our advocacy at every level of government to maintain—let alone increase—congressional support for library funding. ALA is encouraging advocates to prepare for FY2027 by sharing appreciation for library funding with their congressmembers in FY2026. We can all express gratitude for federal funding for libraries. Even though it was a tumultuous process, the final outcome was a big, important win for libraries and our communities. We want our gratitude to be fresh when we ask our congressmembers to fund libraries in FY2027.
The fight to protect IMLS is far from finished. ALA’s lawsuit against the administration (ALA v. Sonderling), which helped prevent mass layoffs of IMLS staff last May, is pending. A federal court ruling in a parallel lawsuit brought by 21 states’ attorneys general (Rhode Island v. Trump) nullified the administration’s actions to dismantle IMLS and prohibited the administration from taking such actions in the future. But the administration has appealed the federal judge’s decision in the Rhode Island case. ALA will closely monitor that appeal and, if it proceeds, we’ll ensure that libraries’ perspectives are heard.
In addition, ALA is closely monitoring potential changes to IMLS grant terms. The priorities for IMLS grant programs are established by law, and we expect IMLS to issue funding in compliance with statutory priorities and congressional direction. Nevertheless, potential applicants should closely review the Notices of Funding Opportunity—and other changes in federal grant law and policy over the past year—with legal counsel before undertaking grant applications.
Threats to E-Rate
Another critical form of government support for libraries continues to face challenges: the federal E-Rate program, which provides libraries and schools billions of dollars each year for broadband access and connectivity. Last June in FCC v. Consumers’ Research, the Supreme Court upheld the Universal Service Fund (USF), the system of telecommunications subsidies administered by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that includes E-Rate. Consumers’ Research filed another petition in September alleging that E-Rate and other USF programs are unconstitutional. ALA and our coalition partners are strategizing how to best address this new threat.
It has never been so critical for supporters to show up for our libraries. Thanks to advocates, Congress is funding libraries. It is no exaggeration to say that IMLS would not exist now except for our members and the community that fought to protect the agency on every front. For updates on federal support for libraries and timely opportunities to advocate for them, sign up to be part of ALA’s advocacy network. The only way to preserve support for libraries is together.
