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Trump Administration Responds to ALA's Lawsuit to Save IMLS

In a lengthy filing, DOJ lawyers argue that the canceling of grants and the firing of staff at IMLS is not about dismantling the agency, but about realigning it consistent with the current administration’s policy objectives.

The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending April 18

Among the week's headlines: while fighting in court to save IMLS, ALA is also rallying library advocates to push Congress for FY 2026 funding; a Michigan court rules against book bans; the library world mourns Cliff Lynch; and the second IndeLib Forum takes place in New York.

Hearing Set in ALA Lawsuit to Block IMLS Destruction

The schedule appears to accommodate an ALA request that the court rule by May 4, which ALA lawyers cite as the date a "mass termination" of IMLS staff is reportedly set to take effect.

‘Palpably Illegal’: State Attorneys Fire Back at Trump Administration’s Shaky Defense of IMLS Closure

'At bottom, the situation is simple,' attorneys argued in an April 16 filing. 'The President issued an executive order so illegal that Defendants cannot defend it on the merits.'

Trump Administration Responds to IMLS Lawsuit

In a filing this week, Trump administration lawyers said a coalition of 21 states lacked standing to sue in federal court.

Court Rules that Fired Wyoming Librarian’s Lawsuit Against Book Banners Can Proceed

Lesley's case has garnered national attention, and her refusal to ban books won her the ALA's 2022 John Philip Immroth Memorial Award, which recognizes 'personal courage in defense of freedom of expression.'

The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending April 11, 2025

Among the week's headlines: library advocates are rallying in Ohio; the Maine State Library lays off staff after its IMLS funds go MIA; Brewster Kahle weighs in on the threat facing libraries in the digital age; And Maria McCauley wins the 2026-2027 ALA presidency.

Citing Imminent ‘Mass Termination,’ ALA Asks Court to Rule on Motion to Save IMLS by May 4

"The services that IMLS’s staff provides and the grants it issues are the lifeblood of the American library system,” the ALA’s April 10 filing stresses.

Hearing Set in Lawsuit to Block Trump’s Destruction of IMLS

DOJ Lawyers will argue their case to shutter the IMLS before a judge that has already once blocked a sweeping attempt by the Trump administration to gut federal funding.

‘Time is of the Essence’: ALA Sues Trump Administration to Save IMLS

The ALA suit comes just days after a coalition of state attorneys general filed a similar federal lawsuit in Rhode Island also seeking to stop the Trump administration’s dismantling of the IMLS.

ALA Releases Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2024

George M. Johnson’s 'All Boys Aren’t Blue' and Maia Kobabe’s 'Gender Queer' took the top two spots on a list once again dominated by stories by and about LGBTQ+ persons and people of color.

‘A Difficult Time for Libraries’: ALA’s 2025 State of America’s Libraries Report Details Ongoing Censorship Threat

Released annually, the ALA's State of America's Libraries Report documents the achievements of America’s libraries and library workers, and outlines the challenges they face.

States Sue to Block Trump's Destruction of IMLS

The emergency action seeks to block the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle IMLS and several other agencies, and comes amid reports that the White House has fired members of the IMLS advisory board.

The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending April 4, 2025

Among the week's headlines: National Library Week kicks off on April 6; State legislators propose massive cuts to Ohio libraries; and Arkansas moves a step closer to dissolving its state library.