Latest news with #InstituteofMuseumandLibraryServices
Engadget
20-05-2025
- Business
- Engadget
US libraries cut ebook and audiobook lending programs following Trump executive order
In the latest episode of How to Dismantle Public Services in 12 Easy Steps , a Trump executive order targeting libraries has real-world consequences. The AP reported over the weekend that libraries across the country are cutting programs that offer ebooks, audiobooks and other loan programs. These initiatives exploded in popularity following the pandemic, with over 660 million people globally borrowing them in 2023 — a 19 percent annual increase. The cuts and slashing of grants followed a Trump executive order issued on March 14 targeting the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). His appointee to helm the agency, Keith E. Sonderling, quickly signaled that he was there to do the president's bidding. He placed the IMLS's entire staff on administrative leave, sent termination notices to most of them, canceled grants and contracts and fired everyone on the National Museum and Library Services Board. Federal judges have temporarily blocked the administration from further gutting the IMLS. But while lawsuits from 21 states and the American Library Association make their way through the courts, the agency's federal funding remains frozen. And libraries are scrambling to adjust. If you've ever used your library to borrow an ebook or audiobook through an app like Libby or Hoopla, there's a good chance federal funding made that possible. Libraries purchase digital leases for ebooks and audiobooks from publishers, enabling them to lend titles to patrons. The leases typically cost much more than physical copies and must be renewed after a set period or number of checkouts. With library digital borrowing surging, those federal funds went a long way toward keeping the programs afloat. Mississippi has indefinitely suspended its Hoopla-based lending program. The IMLS was created in 1996 by a Republican-controlled US Congress. The agency has an annual budget of under $300 million, with nearly half of that amount allocated to state libraries, which, in turn, help fund local libraries' digital lending programs. "The small library systems are not able to pay for the ebooks themselves," Rebecca Wendt, California's state library director, told the AP .
Los Angeles Times
20-05-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Libraries are cutting back on staff and services after Trump's order to dismantle small agency
Libraries across the United States are cutting back on ebooks, audiobooks and loan programs after the Trump administration suspended millions of dollars in federal grants as it tries to dissolve the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Federal judges have issued temporary orders to block the Trump administration from taking any further steps toward gutting the agency. But the unexpected slashing of grants has delivered a significant blow to many libraries, which are reshuffling budgets and looking at different ways to raise money. Maine has laid off a fifth of its staff and temporarily closed its state library after not receiving the remainder of its annual funding. Libraries in Mississippi have indefinitely stopped offering a popular ebook service, and the South Dakota state library has suspended its interlibrary loan program. Ebook and audiobook programs are especially vulnerable to budget cuts, even though those offerings have exploded in popularity since the COVID-19 pandemic. 'I think everyone should know the cost of providing digital sources is too expensive for most libraries,' said Cindy Hohl, president of the American Library Assn. 'It's a continuous and growing need.' President Trump issued an executive order March 14 to dismantle the IMLS before firing nearly all of its employees. One month later, the Maine State Library announced it was issuing layoff notices for workers funded through an IMLS grant program. 'It came as quite a surprise to all of us,' said Spencer Davis, a library generalist at the Maine State Library who is one of eight employees who were laid off May 8 because of the suspended funding. In April, California, Washington and Connecticut were the only three states to receive letters stating the remainder of their funding for the year was canceled, Hohl said. For others, the money hasn't been distributed yet. The three states all filed formal objections with the IMLS. Rebecca Wendt, California state library director, said she was never told why California's funding was terminated while the other remaining states did not receive the same notice. 'We are mystified,' Wendt said. The agency did not respond to an email seeking comment. Most libraries are funded by city and county governments, but receive a smaller portion of their budget from their state libraries, which receive federal dollars every year to help pay for summer reading programs, interlibrary loan services and digital books. Libraries in rural areas rely on federal grants more than those in cities. Many states use the funding to pay for ebooks and audiobooks, which are increasingly popular, and costly, offerings. In 2023, more than 660 million people globally borrowed ebooks, audiobooks and digital magazines, up from 19% in 2022, according to OverDrive, the main distributor of digital content for libraries and schools. In Mississippi, the state library helped fund its statewide ebook program. For a few days, Erin Busbea was the bearer of bad news for readers at her Mississippi library: Hoopla, a popular app to check out ebooks and audiobooks, had been suspended indefinitely in Lowndes and DeSoto counties due to the funding freeze. 'People have been calling and asking, 'Why can't I access my books on Hoopla?'' said Busbea, library director of the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library System in Columbus, a majority-Black city northeast of Jackson. The library system also had to pause parts of its interlibrary loan system allowing readers to borrow books from other states when they aren't available locally. 'For most libraries that were using federal dollars, they had to curtail those activities,' said Hulen Bivins, the Mississippi Library Commission executive director. The funding freeze came after the agency's roughly 70 staff members were placed on administrative leave in March. Attorneys general in 21 states and the American Library Assn. have filed lawsuits against the Trump administration for seeking to dismantle the agency. The institute's annual budget is below $300 million and distributes less than half of that to state libraries across the country. In California, the state library was notified that about 20%, or $3 million, of its $15-million grant had been terminated. 'The small library systems are not able to pay for the ebooks themselves,' said Wendt, the California state librarian. In South Dakota, the state's interlibrary loan program is on hold, according to Nancy Van Der Weide, a spokesperson for the South Dakota Department of Education. The institute, founded in 1996 by a Republican-controlled Congress, also supports a national library training program named after former first lady Laura Bush that seeks to recruit and train librarians from diverse or underrepresented backgrounds. A spokesperson for Bush did not return a request seeking comment. 'Library funding is never robust. It's always a point of discussion. It's always something you need to advocate for,' said Liz Doucett, library director at Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick, Maine. 'It's adding to just general anxiety.' Lathan writes for the Associated Press.
Epoch Times
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
The Public Backs Cutting Government Waste
Commentary If a business were losing money fast, sinking into debt, suffering from inefficiency, and engaging in some dubious financial practices, nobody would question the need for new leadership to step in and implement fundamental reforms. Some people would lose their jobs, some units of the business might be shuttered, and money going out the door would be reevaluated and, perhaps, trimmed here and cut there. As long as it appears fair and open—no cronyism or favoritism, no golden parachutes for the people who created the mess in the first place—outside observers wouldn't complain or criticize. This is how President Trump's efforts to reform and rein in the Executive Branch appear to ordinary Americans. They look at the current debt, a figure that deserves the adjective 'grotesque,' and insist that shrinkage must happen. They learn of how much money has gone to foreign countries and grumble, 'What about us?' They hear of how many Federal workers and offices are devoted to DEI measures and practices that have meager support with the general public, and they're disgusted. The illegal immigrant crisis infuriates them when they realize that the federal government has manufactured it. New stories and speeches by Democrats that accuse President Trump and Elon Musk's DOGE team of heedless destruction cause little change in their opinions. The plain facts strike them too deeply. Last year, a friend took a flight from the Midwest, settling in nicely with an empty seat beside her. At the last minute, however, the flight attendants held the door so a crowd of people could enter and take all the unoccupied places. They were from Central America, she guessed, but she didn't want to inquire because the woman who sat next to her was coughing and sniffling the whole trip. Others in the group seemed the same. The regular passengers probably felt charitable toward the newcomers, but couldn't help wondering: What's going on? Where are these people from and where are they going? Who's paying for this? It's the kind of immediate experience that cancels idealistic visions of 'global citizenship' and the (presumed) obligation to welcome all migrants. They have practical questions that the previous administration didn't answer: 'How many people? How many dollars?' Americans are generous, and they want a strong federal government, but (they think), 'This is crazy.' In 2023, the Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded Queens College's Graduate School of Library and Information Studies $313,318 for a ' Related Stories 4/23/2025 3/25/2025 On the other side, older Democrats recall with pride President Clinton's Yes, the image of Elon Musk brandishing a The Trump Administration is going to continue the reforms in spite of Democrat resistance and judges ruling against the president. He is confident of popular support, which does appear the way of common sense. A smart Democrat would, on this issue, start speaking once again like Clinton/Gore. Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
How to track AG Neronha's legal battles against Trump? There's a web page for that.
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha speaks at an April 1, 2025, press conference in Providence about the multistate lawsuit challenging the federal government's termination of $11 billion in public health funding. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current) Donald Trump has been president for 119 days as of Monday. That comes out to a lawsuit in which Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha is a lead plaintiff or participant roughly every six days since the new Trump administration began. In fact, Neronha has joined so many multistate challenges to the federal government that his office's website now features a page titled 'Federal Action Response' to track his 19 litigious efforts against the commander in chief. The page includes detailed information on every lawsuit Neronha has led or joined, from a birthright citizenship case filed in New Jersey District Court the day after Trump took office, to the latest pair of victories last week. Both of last week's wins happened on Neronha's home turf, the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island. Overall, seven of the 19 lawsuits Neronha has joined against the Trump administration have managed to temporarily block executive orders, federal funding cuts, or agency regulations issued by Trump's cabinet members. 'Since day one, the Trump Administration has taken actions that extend far beyond the President's constitutional authority,' the landing page reads. 'These actions are impacting the rights of Rhode Islanders in real time. But we're ready.' On Friday, May 16, District Judge Mary McElroy granted a request for a temporary court order and ordered the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to reinstate federal funding while the case is pending. Rhode Island is one of 24 plaintiffs challenging the agency's abrupt termination of $11 billion in pandemic-era public health grants. On Tuesday, May 13, Chief Judge John McConnell's preliminary injunction against a Trump executive order targeting library programming and other federal initiatives went into effect. McConnell issued the injunction on May 6, backing the 21 states that rallied against the executive order that led to the Institute of Museum and Library Services placing 85% of its staff on administrative leave. 'Americans have quickly grown weary of their government attacking them instead of working for them,' Neronha said in a May 14 statement after the injunction became effective. Neronha joined 21 other attorneys general in the library funding lawsuit, which sought to block an executive order that led to staff reductions and grant cancellations at the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Minority Business Development Agency, and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, which helps mediate labor disputes. 'Above all else, as attorneys general, we have an obligation to protect the residents of our states from harm even when, perhaps especially when, it comes from the federal government,' Neronha's statement continued. 'With this order and many others, we are stopping this President in his tracks, and we will continue to fight every single step of the way.' The executive order also designated the United States Agency for Global Media, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, and the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund as targets for spending cuts (although these agencies were not part of the state attorneys' efforts). The EO mandated these federal initiatives 'reduce the performance of their statutory functions and associated personnel to the minimum presence and function' — in other words, abolish any programming not explicitly required by law. But McConnell wrote in his May 6 ruling that this executive maneuver 'has effectively usurped Congress's lawmaking and spending authority — without constitutional or statutory authority permitting them [the federal government] to do so. McElroy's ruling came in a lawsuit first filed in April, and deemed that HHS had violated both the Administrative Procedure Act and congressional spending authority. 'The power that HHS has asserted here is a broad one: terminating $11 billion worth of funding based on its determination that the money is no longer necessary,' McElroy wrote in her ruling. 'The Court cannot see how it can claim that power based on the history of congressional action described above.' The pair of rulings reflect the overall legal strategy of Neronha and his blue state counterparts during the second Trump era: to hastily respond to the executive branch's equally speedy policymaking. Across the 19 lawsuits, states have argued that the Trump administration has repeatedly violated the Administrative Procedure Act, ignored congressional powers, and imposed wide-ranging but often unclear policy and budgeting directives on shaky legal ground. 'A hacksaw approach to government reduction will never yield positive results for the American people, and we will continue to fight, and win, in court to minimize the harm the Trump Administration is causing the people of this country,' Neronha wrote in a statement after the May 16 ruling. 'When the Trump Administration attempts to dismantle these agencies, it is making a targeted, concerted effort to prohibit everyday people from accessing their full potential.' Six of the 19 cases in which Neronha has participated have been filed U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, including the two most recent filings from May 13: Illinois v. FEMA, and California v. Department of Transportation, both of which challenge challenges immigration enforcement as a prerequisite for federal funding. Neronha has been especially busy in April and May, getting involved in 12 of the 19 cases during those two months. A full list of the 19 cases, with court documents included, is available on the AG's website. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The Latest: Libraries cut some services across the US after Trump order to dismantle agency
President Donald Trump is hoping that separate phone calls Monday with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will make progress toward a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine. Trump expressed his hopes for a 'productive day' Monday — and a ceasefire — in a social media post over the weekend. His effort will also include calls to NATO leaders. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the upcoming conversation would be 'important, given the talks that took place in Istanbul' last week between Russian and Ukrainian officials, the first such negotiations since March 2022. Trump has struggled to end a war that began with Russia's invasion in February 2022, and that makes these conversations a serious test of his reputation as a dealmaker after having claimed he would quickly settle the conflict once he was back in the White House, if not even before he took office. Here's the latest: Libraries cut some services after Trump's order to dismantle small agency Libraries across the U.S. have cut back on some digital services weeks after the Trump administration's move to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Maine has temporarily closed its state library and others across the country have paused their interlibrary loan programs. The reductions in services coincide with a lawsuit filed by more than 20 state attorneys general and the American Library Association to restore funding. They argue only Congress has the authority to control federal spending. E-book and audiobook programs are especially vulnerable to budget cuts, even though those offerings have exploded in popularity since the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump's new executive order targets barcodes on ballots Trump's executive order seeking to overhaul how U.S. elections are run includes a somewhat obscure reference to the way votes are counted. Voting equipment, it says, should not use ballots that include 'a barcode or quick-response code.' Those few technical words could have a big impact. Voting machines that give all voters a ballot with one of those codes are used in hundreds of counties across 19 states. Trump, in justifying the move, said in the order that his intention was 'to protect election integrity.' Trump tax cut package advanced out of House committee Trump's big bill advances in rare weekend vote: House Republicans narrowly advanced Trump's big tax cuts package out of a key committee during a rare Sunday night vote, but just barely, as conservative holdouts are demanding quicker cuts to Medicaid and green energy programs before giving their full support. House Speaker Mike Johnson is pushing to approve the package and send it to the Senate by Memorial Day. Democrats say they will fight what House party leader Hakeem Jeffries calls an 'extreme and toxic bill.' Former President Biden diagnosed with cancer Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, his office said Sunday. Trump posted on social media that he was saddened by the news and 'we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.' The finding came after the 82-year-old reported urinary symptoms, which led doctors to discover a nodule on his prostate. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer on Friday, with the cancer cells having spread to the bone.
