The Trump administration and its so-called DOGE team is now dismantling the entire the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) as part of its ongoing attack on research and higher education in the United States.

NPR reports that “The Institute of Museum and Library Services has placed its entire staff on administrative leave.”

The IMLS is the federal agency that provides support for library and museum research and programming across the United States. Local, state, and university libraries rely on IMLS support for their initiatives and programs.

NPR indicates that “The IMLS is a relatively small federal agency, with around 70 employees, that awards grant funding to museums and libraries across the country.”

“Earlier this month, President Trump named Keith E. Sonderling — deputy secretary of labor — the new acting director of IMLS. This followed Trump’s previous executive order, shrinking seven federal agencies, including the Institute of Museum and Library Services,” according to NPR.

“According to a statement from AFGE Local 3403, which represents IMLS workers, the agency’s staff were notified by email about the administrative leave via after a ‘brief meeting between DOGE staff and IMLS leadership.’ Employees had to turn in government property, and email accounts were disabled.”

“The IMLS is an independent federal agency that provides grants to libraries and museums across the country. According to the American Library Association, the IMLS provides ‘a majority of federal library funds.’ The IMLS says it has awarded $266 million in grant funding and research to cultural institutions last year. This money goes to help staff, maintenance and create new programs.”

A fellow researcher at Northern Illinois University, where I teach, has been developing a research grant proposal this academic year and recently submitted it to the IMLS. Now, it seems that there will be no one there to evaluate the proposal.

The IMLS mission statement reads “The mission of IMLS is to advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. The agency carries out its charge as it adapts to meet the changing needs of our nation’s museums and libraries and their communities. IMLS’s mission is essential to helping these institutions navigate change and continue to improve their services.”

President Trump, Elon Musk, and his so-called DOGE team have now completely undermined that mission and threatened library and museum services that serve U.S. citizens all across the nation.

Limbong, Andrew. “Entire Staff at Federal Agency that Funds Libraries and Museums Put on Leave.” NPR (31 March 2025).

The IMLS website still exists, as of now.