News

"We’ve all seen the news about the unjustified, ill treatment of federal employees across many agencies, and now it has come squarely to the library community,” ALA's Alan Inouye wrote.

Among the week's headlines: At the London Book Fair, publisher optimism clashed with American political chaos; back home, a new Rhode Island bill seeks to protect the freedom to read; and incoming ALA president Sam Helmick speaks to the challenges facing librarians.

In a March 14 Executive Order, President Donald Trump has targeted seven more federal agencies for permanent closure, including the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The order states that the president has determined IMLS is “unnecessary” and gave agency officials seven days to submit a report to the OMB

“Dye continues to be a dedicated and impactful leader in the library community and has stayed true to ALA’s mission of ensuring access to information for all,” ALA President Cindy Hohl said, in a statement.

In a win for freedom to read advocates, a federal court has ruled that a publisher-led lawsuit challenging Florida law HB 1069 can proceed.

Among the week's headlines: Montana legislators spar over the role of libraries; Iowa continues its assault on professional library associations; the Georgia senate passes a measure exposing librarians to criminal liability; and Missouri looks to censor digital library catalogs in schools.