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President Trump’s FY2021 Budget is targeting the only federal library programs for complete elimination.  Again.

This is the third year that our president has called for the total shutdown of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. It is the fourth year that reasonable and right-minded library advocates have to rally against his proposed cuts.

We are tired of it all. But libraries, museums, and archives are too important to every American not to stand up in the face of this bad budget proposal and fight back.

Join us and thousands of other Americans and tell Congress “NO” to this bad budget proposal. Send your message today to ensure that the House and Senate do their jobs and fund libraries, museums, and archives.

IMLS is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. Cutting this funding means that countless libraries will lose access to the grants that allow them to replace crumbling technology and infrastructure that many rural and urban communities depend on. Libraries often provide the only broadband access to rural communities and many Americans in all areas often rely on libraries to apply to jobs, access training to learn new skills, and many entrepreneurs use the resources found in the library to get a competitive edge in an increasingly global marketplace. In fact, for every dollar spent on libraries, more than $5 are returned to the community.

Even after four rounds of proposed cuts, we still don’t understand why the president would target the Institute of Museum and Library Services for defunding. Especially since the president himself signed the renewal of the Museum and Libary Services Act into law just last year ago.

If this administration is looking for ways to grow the American economy, stabilize and strengthen our communities, and ensure that every child can succeed in life, federal support of libraries, museums, and archives should be fully funded not on the chopping block.

Even though you helped reverse these cuts before, we are not complacent this time around. Make no mistake, public libraries in every town, city, and county would be hit if this FY 2021 budget proposal stands. All 50 state libraries - and the amazing work they do supporting each and every library in your state -  would be harmed. School libraries and librarians, which are already reeling from years of local cuts, would have critical supports pulled out from under them. Our nation’s museums would fall short on their mission to educate and inform. And archives would be cut off from funding that ensures they bring communities in contact with their own histories.

If enough people - people like you who care about libraries - stand up and speak out this year we can hold the line against these unwise and harmful cuts. We need your help TODAY to tell members of the House and Senate that funding for IMLS - the Institute of Museum and Library Services (for public and state libraries) and for IAL - the Innovative Approaches to Literacy program (for school libraries) is preserved in the 2020 federal budget.

Please take one minute to send a message to YOUR members of Congress by using the petition form at right. Thank you!