The American Historical Association encourages historians to contact their Congressional representatives to protest the recent attack on the very existence of the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Libraries and museums are central nodes in the networks of historical work, as sites of both research and teaching. Both constitute an essential aspect of the infrastructure of historical work in the United States.

On Friday night, the Trump administration issued an executive order targeting the IMLS. The order directs the IMLS acting director to take immediate steps to eliminate the agency to the maximum extent allowable by law by determining its statutory requirements, laying off staff, and cutting programs deemed unnecessary by the presidential administration.

The IMLS provides essential funding to libraries and museums in all 50 states and US territories. The agency plays a crucial role in providing humanities access to Americans, especially in rural areas.

Our partners at the American Library Association (ALA) and the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) are leading efforts to counter the Trump administration’s attack on the IMLS, and we urge you to support the IMLS through one or both of their campaigns.

Support the ALA’s Campaign to Save the IMLS

Support the AAM’s Campaign to Save the IMLS