IMLS Funding Again Targeted in Proposed Federal Budget

Federal support for libraries continues to center on the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the only federal agency dedicated to supporting libraries and museums. In April 2026, the White House’s FY 2027 budget proposal again called for eliminating IMLS and other library-related programs, but this follows a familiar pattern: Congress has repeatedly rejected prior attempts to cut or dismantle IMLS, and in the FY 2026 budget process, lawmakers preserved and slightly increased federal library funding.

MLA will continue to monitor the federal budget process and share news, context, and ways advocates can stay engaged in support of federal funding for libraries as the process moves through Congress.