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ALA Criticizes Firing of Register of Copyrights

May 12, 2025

ALA is dismayed at the unlawful dismissal of Register of Copyrights Shira Perlmutter, who has led the US Copyright Office since October 2020 with integrity, intelligence, and an understanding of intellectual property issues. Before her appointment as registrar, Perlmutter’s work with the library community on the US implementation of the Marrakesh Treaty demonstrated a commitment … Continue reading ALA Criticizes Firing of Register of Copyrights



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Federal Court Halts Dismantling of IMLS in ALA Lawsuit

May 2, 2025

ALA’s full statement regarding the court’s temporary restraining order reads as follows: Today, the US District Court for the District of Columbia granted a temporary restraining order to block the Trump administration’s dismantling of IMLS. The decision was issued in response to a lawsuit filed by ALA and AFSCME, represented by Democracy Forward and Gair Gallo Eberhard LLP. IMLS … Continue reading Federal Court Halts Dismantling of IMLS in ALA Lawsuit


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ALA, AFSCME File Lawsuit against Trump Administration

April 8, 2025

The full statement reads as follows: ALA, the largest library association in the world, and AFSCME, the largest union representing museum and library workers, are challenging the Trump administration’s gutting of IMLS—a nonpartisan and independent agency dedicated to supporting and funding libraries and museums and the crucial community services they provide in every state across the country. The … Continue reading ALA, AFSCME File Lawsuit against Trump Administration


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White House Attacks Libraries

March 19, 2025

Underneath the Trump administration’s bureaucratic language is the clear intent to take away states’ funding to support their libraries. The president cannot fully eliminate IMLS without congressional approval, but his order takes every possible step in that direction. The order calls for the elimination of IMLS,  by limiting budget requests from the agency to only the … Continue reading White House Attacks Libraries


Collage of people and topics mentioned in this article: Colleen Shogan, former archivist of the United States; the National Archives logo; text of executive orders; and books Freckleface Strawberry and No Truth Without Ruth

Tracking the Trump Administration’s Attacks on Libraries

March 19, 2025

While the legality of many of these actions is still being decided by the courts, librarians, archivists, and other information professionals have been working through the confusion to preserve access to information. Below are several examples of the challenges libraries have faced over the past two months and the ways in which librarians and advocates have … Continue reading Tracking the Trump Administration’s Attacks on Libraries




Erin MacFarlane, customer experience administrator for the Maricopa County (Ariz.) Library District (right) speaks with US Rep. Raúl Grijalva during ALA's 2023 fly-in at Capitol Hill.

ALA Launches FY2024 #FundLibraries Campaign

March 14, 2023

This year, there is a remarkably brief window for action: the deadline for signatures is March 20. The Library Services and Technology Act (LTSA) letter, circulated by US Reps. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Don Bacon (R-Neb.), urges House of Representatives appropriators to provide $232 million for LSTA to fund a wide range of essential library … Continue reading ALA Launches FY2024 #FundLibraries Campaign


Legislative Update

Funding Closes Below Expectations for Libraries

March 24, 2022

Why was this disappointing for libraries? The final budget agreement between the administration and US House and Senate leadership unfortunately resulted in funding significantly below levels originally proposed by Congress. (See ALA’s FY2022 federal funding for libraries chart.) This was the case not only for many library programs but for most other domestic programs as … Continue reading Funding Closes Below Expectations for Libraries


Call Number Podcast: Washington Talk - A conversation with Congressman Andy Levin

Call Number Podcast: Washington Talk

March 12, 2021

Shawnda Hines, assistant director of communications at the American Library Association’s Public Policy and Advocacy Office, speaks with US Rep. Andy Levin (D-Mich.) about his support for libraries and work on library legislation, including the Build America’s Libraries Act that was introduced in the House on March 3. They also discuss how best to advocate … Continue reading Call Number Podcast: Washington Talk


A Transition Plan for Library Advocates

November 13, 2020

Based on campaign pledges, the Biden-Harris administration will be more favorable to education investment and the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion. President-Elect Joe Biden’s cabinet selections will likely indicate a significant shift in policy around education, telecommunications, workforce issues, and many other areas. However, the change of leadership in the White House does not … Continue reading A Transition Plan for Library Advocates